A Daydream Away
by MimatoAndTaioraWillLiveForever
Summary: I couldn't make a move on her. She's too precious, and I'm a wreck. She's a daydream away, and I'll keep her in a safe place, so I'll never have to lose her. [Mimato, Taiora, possibly Takari]
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, development, and OC's.

A/N: implied Sorato and swearing

* * *

_Prologue_

**Frienship**

"Hey." Wendy comes inside the room and locks the door.

I was cradling Takari, tuning her chords, my feet on a coffee table. "Hey."

She sighs, staring at me with a tired, sentimental look. "You never used to wear so much black."

"I do in winters." I started wearing black more frequently when I turned thirteen. As if anyone would notice that.

"Yeah. Like your first winter concert." 2 years ago, same day she gave me the legendary cookies everyone made a big deal about.

"You never used to wear skirts." I retort as she chuckles.

I strum Takari and sing, "_Wendy, run away with me, I know it sounds crazy don't you see what you do to me, I wanna be your lost boy, your last chance, you're everything that I planned_," I give her a meaningful look.

"_Somewhere In Neverland_." She finishes. I gave her a bit of vocal lessons, though she wasn't much interested in music. She'd rather let me sing to her. She's more of a jock.

I clap at her. "Good job, Wendy."

She ruffles my hair. "Why do you call me that?"

"We've been through this. You're my Wendy. Duh, Somewhere In Neverland." She wasn't quite _my_ Wendy.

She laughs. "Two years passed since then and I still can't believe you wrote the song for me."

I smirk. "I sang it too."

"Yeah... I fell in love with your voice." Unfortunately she didn't fall in love with _me_.

"You should know you're special, Sora." Which is why I wrote the song.

"Ha! You called me by my name."

I shake my head, looking down, snickering. "You do know why I called you here, right?"

"Because I'm so special."

I smile and stand up, walking toward her. I grasp her hands. "Wendy, it's time for you to be with Peter Pan." This couldn't be more of a perfect time to end our relationship. Today's our anniversary. Two years.

She looks at me, eye-to-eye. I've always loved her eyes. Red, amber, orange, brown, I just don't know what color they are. I could never figure it out. "...Aren't you my Peter Pan?" She squeezes my palms.

I kneel down to her. "You know I'm not your Peter Pan. I never was. I just, wanted you to run away with _me_." I stole her. I kiss her forehead. Probably the last kiss we'll ever share.

She raises her right hand and rubs my cheek. "I wanted to run away with you too."

I can tell from her voice that she's holding herself from crying. "I love you."

A tear fell from her right eye as she fell into my arms, clutching my shirt. I embrace her and rub her back. "Ssh, don't cry. I'll always, _always_, be here." Maybe not as a boyfriend, but at least I'm _someone_ to her.

She sniffles and wraps her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be."

"I couldn't return your feelings." She bawls.

I smile at her. I'm supposed to be crying, but I already did that yesterday last night, when I made the decision that I'd break up with her. "I'm sorry too. I couldn't be good enough."

She shakes her head furiously. "No, Yamato! Don't be! Anyone would kill for you to love them! You write songs for me, you stay up late just to talk on the phone with me, you wait for two hours after school for me because of my tennis, you buy ruby bracelets for me, you were more than enough." Maybe, but, you could never love me, no matter how more than enough I can be. Because I wasn't the best. Not for you. It was always him, for you. But I couldn't say that out loud. I never want to hurt her. I never want to make her feel she made a mistake.

I shrug. "It's time to bid farewell. The show starts in a few," I hope Taichi won't get the wrong idea when he sees her like this. "By the way, I wrote you a song." I stroke her hair.

She looks up, meeting my eyes. "You wrote another song... For me?"

"Of course. I love you, remember?" In response, she tightens her grip on me.

The side of her mouth raises. "You're too much."

She looks down again. We both know the reason why we're breaking up is because she can't say those words back to me. She only nods. I pat her head and say, "It's okay, I'm not asking for a response."

"I wish you had."

"That would force you to say something you don't mean. I never want to force you into anything, Wendy."

She presses her forehead on my neck. "You deserve better..." But I wanted only you.

"So... No objections? Everything is mutual about us seperating?" I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She nods and beams at me. I'm not hesitant on letting go of her. She deserves this.

"Thank you for everything, Yamato. Thank you for loving me and letting go." She kisses my cheek and heads for the door.

I bow dramatically at her. "Thank you as well mademoiselle, for being my first love."

She exits after giving me a grin.

**Sincerity**

"Well, this is awkward." I say to the both of them.

"Emi, it's not what you think."

Oh my God, I hate how he uses that nickname at_ this exact moment_. "Don't call me that. Okay, I'm thinking I just walked in on the two of you making out, am I wrong?"

"No."

"Good. Goodbye forever." I walk toward the door. _Keep yourself together. If you cry now, you'll be the dumpee. Shit. Technically, he really did dump me, I just broke up with him._ I grab my phone and dial the person who will never betray me. I sneeze from the cold outside. My eyes are starting to blink furiously. I feel frustrated and anxious at the ringing, then

"Hello, Mimi?"

"Mom, pick me up. I broke up with Michael. Don't ask, please. Just. Just, I need you." A tear falls after another, my voice broken, my face red, makeup ruined. I look down to block my face of view. I put a hand on my forehead. It was like I was hyperventilating on the phone.

"Got it. Be there in 2 seconds." She said and hang up. I look behind me to see the flashes of neon lights on the windows. The music was booming. I'm surprised the neighbors have no complaints to this point. Then again, it is Michael Barton's party.

The fact that he didn't chase me outside only proves I wasted a good amount of time on a stupid guy. Nevertheless, what he did still hurt. Hurt like hell. This is what it feels like to be a second choice. Out of all people, Colette Williams. The one who conviniently made me feel like she was my best friend. No one could replace the original though. I knew that. I can't wait to go back to Japan and see Sora once again. I smile at the thought of her.

I wonder how they're doing, those kids. They must be gathered together, eating pizza or hanging at the karaoke bar, in any case, they should be having a much better Christmas Eve than me.

One year later, one week before the start of the school year

**Friendship**

I narrow my eyes at what Gennai said. In response, Daisuke slams his hands on the dinner table. "Wait, what do you mean the digimon need to go back?!"

"Calm down, Dai." Taichi faces the elder guardian. "There are no enemies to fight anymore, then why should they?" He asks, keeping his composure.

"That's exactly why." Gennai gropes. "You need to live as normal humans, as these digimon should live as normal digimon, to continue your lifestyle before it all started. The co-existence of the two species may have a negative reaction to the current peacefulness of this universe. It may seem unfair to others, appearing that the Chosen Children are more superior." Our faces fall. "Oh, but it won't be permanent, of course. Who am I to break the strong bond you have all formed?" I grin at Gabumon. "Every summer, I will once again open the digiports."

Taichi groans and crosses his arms. "So basically, you're telling us to focus on school and all that crap while the digimon get to play around in the digimon?"

Gennai laughs, wrinkles getting more visible. "They do need a break, don't they?"

Sora raises her hand. "Does Mimi know about this?"

"Yes, don't worry. Every Child all over your world has been informed."

**Sincerity**

_Aw great._ I lost a boyfriend and now I lost a best friend too. Meh. I'll see Sora again soon, anyway.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1: The Start of Something New_

Saturday

**Courage**

Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"No hug?"

"Excuse me? Who are you?"

"That's so mean, Chi-chan."

"Damn, you look better without the crazy hair."

"Don't call it crazy. You didn't recognize me?"

"No, I was joking." I grin and give her a bear-hug, slightly lifting her off the ground.

She laughs. "Still keeping your hair, I see."

"Don't pretend you don't love it." Yes, I miss her laugh. Also her playful sarcasm. She was always one of those life-of-the party among us Chosen Children.

**Love**

"Hi." And there she was, prettier than ever. She dyed her hair back to the color of white chocolate coffee and wore less pink. I expected her to have a more flashy greeting. She really has matured.

I stagger from my seat and throw myself at her. "CARAMEL!"

"SUNNY!" she shouts, hugging me back. The two of us were jumping up and down, laughing.

The other Chosen Children stand up to hug her a sweet welcome. People were throwing us odd looks. Crazy annoying kids being noisy and wild in Mcdonalds.

"My gosh," Miyako kissed her on the cheek. "When did you get back?"

Mimi laughed. "Just this morning." She throws Taichi a meaningful look. He shrugged.

"I picked her up from the airport." Figures, he sent us a text that only had exactly four words, _Mcdo, 12 nn, lunch, Surprise_. Typical Taichi.

Mimi told us she'd be studying for the rest of high school here in Japan. She surprised us indeed, by coming back, because school was starting the day after tomorrow. She and her mom were moving in the most renowned apartment complex in Odaiba, for millionaires, but of course, Mimi didn't brag about that. After eating our greasy meals and exchanging jokes and stories, I invited her to go shopping, and yes, I have enough courage for inviting Tachikawa Mimi to go shopping, in which she happily agreed. We have a lot to catch up about.

"God, if you two aren't going to stop staring at each other so fondily, I'm going to have questions about your sexuality." Taichi joked. I punch him in the arm gently as the others laugh.

**Sincerity**

"Sora, I'm only being a good friend."

"You wouldn't do this to me if you're such a good friend."

"You need this."

"I don't. Get rid of it."

"It'll look good on you."

"Better on someone else."

"I'm taking it to the counter."

"No you're not! Mimi, I swear that thing costs more than your apartment."

"It probably doesn't, but if so, I won't mind."

"I'm not paying you back."

"Of course, I don't expect you to."

"I can't accept it. You wear it."

"I chose it for you. And I don't wear shorts unless necessary."

"Well, I don't wear orange."

"Come on. It's the color of Chi-chan's crest."

"..."

"At least let me do something for you. Just this once."

She sighs. She should've known she couldn't possibly win an apparel argument with me. _Cha-ching_. "Here you go, Ms. Tachikawa." The cashier says and hands me the bag enthusiastically. I smile at her. She probably knew my dad, giving me special treatment. I push the garment on Sora's chest. She glares at me.

"I love you." I chuckle and give her a hug.

"You're lucky you're irresistable." She takes it.

"Admit it. Those are awesome looking flannel shorts."

She shrugs but I can tell by the look of her face she was grateful. Typical Sora. We proceed to a cafe to meet my one true love. A nonfat cinnamon dolce creme frappuccino with added caramel. Sora ordered a mocha cookie crumble frap. Call me judgemental, but I've always thought coffee can say a lot about someone's character. For instance, I don't drink coffee without caramel, hence my nickname. Taichi gave me the nickname, last year, summer, me, him and Sora went to Starbucks because we had this craving, and when the staff asked me what my name is for the cup, I accidentally answered caramel, because I wanted extra doses, then Taichi and Sora cracked up. Sora said that it suited me because I was overly sweet and addicting. And caramel sort of resembled my hair and eye color.

She and I sat in one of those comfy velvet sofas in the cafe. "It's been a while since... This." I say while stirring my drink.

She flashes her charming dimple smile. "Darling, you have no idea how much I missed you."

"Tell me more."

"You should make it up to me because I was forced to hang out with the jock and the rockstar."

"And that's unfortunate because..."

"Because it's Taichi and Yamato."

I laugh. "You have to admit, it does attract a lot of attention."

"Yeah, I don't like attention."

"Did that cause the break up?"

She shook her head no. "Anyway, I just... I just needed a girl friend." She always changes the topic regarding their separation.

Whilst I always try to focus on the topic. "Why'd you two break up anyway?"

"I told you already, It's between me and him."

"But it's mutual right?" She already told me how but not why. Series of girly international best friend phone calls over the past years were involved.

"Yes, I assure you. No hard feelings." Sora's always firm about feeling no aftershock. I admire her for that.

"Oh."

"How about you?"

"Hm?" I start to lick the cream on the straw.

"You know, you and Micha-"

I raise my hand to form a stop signal. "Thou shall not say thy forbidden name."

She snickers. "Okay, so what do we call him?"

"_Bitch_."

"I really did miss you."

"You already know the details between Bitch and me." Which was kind of unfair because I told her everything about Michael's sin and she hasn't spoken of anything regarding Yamato.

"Yeah, but, have you been talking?"

"No. Why would we?"

"Because, like I said, you're irresistable."

"Okay, now you're just flattering me. And if I am so irresistable, he wouldn't kiss anyone besides me, his girlfriend, back then."

"Correct. Which is why I hate Bitch... And no, I never flatter you."

"Wrong. You like all my facebook photos."

"Technically, that's not flattering because I honestly like the damn pictures." I roll my eyes at her. Ah yes, the best friend arguments with smiles.

"So what else has happened without me?"

"Hm, Kenyako still liking each other and still not dating, Takarisuke still a love triangle with an oblivious girl, Taichi still single, Yamato still band-ing, he's on his third album, Jyou-senpai studying, Koushiro still making out with his laptop..." She trails off. Sounds like same old, same old.

"Wait. Kei-dono and Miya not dating?"

Sora shrugs. "I think they like to take it slow. They sort of already admitted that they like each other."

"So they know the other likes the them?"

"Yep."

I raise my eyebrows. "There's a term for that."

"What?"

"Mutual Understanding, right? MU."

"I always thought MU meant misunderstanding."

"That's another meaning."

"Oh. Pssh. Love terms."

"So,"

"Hm?"

"Taichi's still single?"

**Friendship**

Yutaka took yet another sip of coke. I glare at him. "So, what do you guys think?" Setsu asked.

"Um, are we ready for that?" I exchange glances with each of the member and they looked nervous yet somehow excited.

"The record label wouldn't decide on this if they thought you weren't ready." Setsu said. I swear he looked silly with the thick black sunglasses. He's not that type of guy.

"Yutaka, stop."

"What?"

"If you're gonna drink coke all day, at least stay quiet while doing it."

"... I'm just drinking..."

"Yeah, noisily."

"Yamato, breathe. Don't go all out on the guy." Takashi rubs my back.

"It's just... It's like he's eating spaghetti or something. The stupid slurp sound."

"I understand you're shocked, Yamato." Our manager says, finally taking off the stupid shades.

"It's more than that. I... I don't know what to do. I mean, yes, this is great news but it's also a huge step, crossing the line between just playing a local gig and, well, carrying a well-known name."

"Hm, you played for a two thousand audience last year winter..."

"Two thousand doesn't seem much."

"The number just gets larger and larger." Setsu's eyes glinted. It felt intimidating.

"Wait, wait, wait. What song are we talking about?" Akira asked Setsu.

"_Lost in Stereo_."

"Does this mean we'll go international?" Takashi asked.

"Possibly. If it gets noticed."

Yutaka sips coke without a sound then says, "It's scary, but it's a great opportunity."

"Who will we work with?" I ask.

"Here's the real challenge," Setsu clears his throat, "You choose the leading lady. Extras, we'll take care of."

"..." The four of us don't know how to react to that.

"What?!" Being the loud one, Akira broke the silence first. "How are we supposed to choose? We don't know any actresses personally."

"The company told me she doesn't have to be famous, just someone you guys want the world to know about along with the band. Not necessarily an actress, just someone who can act and associate with the song."

"So, task one, finding a leading lady." I hold one finger up.

"Task two, new single to make a comeback." Takashi adds.

"Task three, shooting the actual music video." Setsu finishes.

I let out a breath and sat back on my chair. I'm doubtful if we'll succeed internationally. The Teenage Wolves started to produce merchandise due to influnce in a few national regions, a while back. Cell phone straps, shirts, etc.. A music video is completely overwhelming. I glance at Takashi who was staring at me. He's the calm and collected one, being the lead guitarist. He wore this look that said, 'you're the leader'. Though I bed to differ. I may be the one who decided to form the band, but I'm not the boss. I'm an anxious wreck who just wants to make music. I grab Takari and strum him.

"Dude, you should just marry that thing." Akira comments.

"_He_ has a name." I say.

Akira rolls his eyes. "Yamato, none of us name our instruments."

"Except me."

"Exactly." As he starts playing with his drum sticks, I laugh.

**Courage**

I didn't think I'd have this talk right now. Hikari and I just got home from McDonalds. Dad and mom were sitting in front of me, on the sofa, while I was fiddling with my PSP, crosslegged, on the velvet chair. Hikari was sent in our room and that was the first signal. Judging by the looks on their faces, I'm guessing it's a serious topic.

"School hasn't even started yet and we're having a meeting." I put down my PSP, "am I that much of a problem child?"

"Taichi, you're very far from a problem child." Mom looks at me endearingly and glances at dad.

"We've seen you're capabilities in taking care of Hikari and being a, what do you call those, Chosen Child. They even treat you as the leader," Dad says. "You're 17 now, and well..."

"We want to know what your plans are." Mom finishes.

"My plans."

"Yes, like a career." Dad gave her a look. Mom was being vague.

I shrug. "Based on what dad said I'm guessing he has a suggestion for me."

"You're smart when you need to be, aren't you." Dad comments. I shrug.

"I'm open. What is it?"

"Well, it's not a suggestion for a job," He scratches his head, looking for the appropriate words. "It's a suggestion to widen your opportunities for an actual job."

"Get to the point already." I smirk.

"Be the Student Council President." This is new. Telling me to achieve more than what I want.

"I don't know whether you checked, but I'm a second year."

"There aren't restrictions on the age. You know that." Mom says.

"Yes, but most likely, they'll choose a senior. There's never been a President younger than that."

"It won't hurt to try."

"Becoming the SCP of Odaiba High as a junior could get you a name, useful for the future."

"Dad, I'm not exactly one of those students enthusiastically attending school."

"I know, but you're still qualified, even without the grades. _Leader_ of the Chosen Children?"

"That's debatable if it can substitute for my average marks."

"Taichi, we don't mind if you don't want to do it. We're not forcing you. We just want you to realize what more you can do." Mom said, ruffling my hair gently.

I look at them both. They had this look like they were watching baby birds fly. I sigh, "Fine, I'll think about it." I don't think I can handle all those burdens as a leader. Of a school. The Chosen Children are eleven people who are also my closest friends. Leading an entire student body is another thing. Jyou is more of a person to do that. Reliability.

**Friendship**

Monday

I picked the window seat farthest from the front. Usually I sit at the middle, moderately focused on learning, though this is a different case. It's english. Literature, foreign jargon, the subject I cared the least about. I eye a tree branch outside, something a manga character would do. The branch held a nest with two eggs.

"Watcha staring at?"

"Oh, it's you."

"The nest?"

I nod at her statement. "You're here."

"Something wrong?" She smirks.

"You're a first year."

"Been taking advanced english ever since." A wink.

"Wow."

"It's nothing to be impressed about."

"I hate english."

She chuckles. "You write lyrics in english."

"It's different. It's music."

The teacher walks in and the class stand up and bow to greet him. Turns out the class won't be so boring since Mimi's a classmate. She's Mimi, of course. Sadly, we're not the best of friends, so as the teacher started lecturing, I turned my attention back to the nest and Mimi scribbles something I probably don't care about.

Until I hear a faint humming sound beside me. Oh my God. "Is that _Fall Out Boy_?"

"Huh?"

"You were humming _Where Did The Party Go._"

"Yeah. It's my favorite song."

I widen my eyes. "_You_ like Fall Out Boy?"

"No. I love them. One of my favorite bands."

"Oh," a lot of things were in my head right now. "Mine too."

She smiles. Tachikawa Mimi is someone who loves clothes and makeup, like any other girl would. She whines a lot when things are inconvenient. She loves the color pink. She owns a lot of stuff toys. She likes to travel. Her parents are rich. She's bubbly and wild. Those are the few things I know about her.

I shake my head. "You don't seem like someone who likes Rock."

"I get that a lot."

"I thought you'd be more into Nicki Minaj or something." I was looking at the chalkboard, it's sort of difficult to make eye contact with her.

She shudders. "Ew."

I chuckle. I forgot she also likes suprising people. "I should've known you have better taste in music." I've been told by Taichi that she can sing, but I've never heard her before.

She nods and smiles playfully. "Yeah, you should've known." I try to dwell in her words. I have the crest of friendship, but I'm not so familiar with everyone in the group. I don't try to be close to them.

"What else should I know about?" We exchange eye contact.

* * *

A/N: R&R! Lost in Stereo is a song sung by All Time Low, as is Where did the Party Go by FOB. I don't own any of them either...


	3. Chapter 2

Hi. Warning: this fic has swear words. Don't own anything but the storyline and OC's.

* * *

_Chapter 2: Closer_

**Sincerity**

_Thursday, 10:50 pm_

_Dear Diary,_

_It's Friday tomorrow! I love fridays. Other days of the week seem like mondays. I hate mondays, despite the fact I kind of enjoyed the first monday of the week (aka beginning of school!).Today Yamato-kun got called out front (because he was humming a song loudly that disturbed the lecture) to construct a sentence without a misplaced modifier. He kept looking back at me hysterically and I couldn't stop giggling at him. Turns out he wasn't joking when he mentioned english is his worst subject. We had this refresher quiz and he got a 4/10. Anyway, these past few days, I've been talking with Yamato-kun frequently in english (passing notes about FOB and stuff because he doesn't want to be repromanded again) and I realized that I haven't been there for my friends for the past few years. Even with the phone calls and emailing, I was always the girl who was abroad, I was always missing, absent, far away. I could never be in their memories when they'd reminisce because I wasn't there. I wasn't there in many of Yamato-kun's concerts, Chi-chan's soccer games, and group hangouts when they'd fool around, watch movies and eat all day and have no care in the world like the stupid kids they are. Now I want to be. I want to be there and have moments when we'd laugh like there's no tomorrow. I want to be a main character in the stories they, we, retell to our other friends. I want to belong again. _

_-Caramel_

Friday

**Friendship**

I sigh at the sight before me. I should've said no to this one. The bell rang again. English is my next subject. I walk away from the billboard and proceed to the classroom. Once I've settled on my usual seat, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I glance over to the tree on my right to see the eggs alone again, still without their parents.

"Yo." She says.

I greet the only person I knew in the class. "Hey."

"Still staring at the tree branch, I see."

I shrug. "I'm waiting for the eggs to hatch."

"Are you gonna make a song about it?" She jokes.

I smirk. "Maybe." She exhales deeply. "What's wrong?" I ask. It's always been obvious whenever Mimi's not so happy.

"You're a judge?" She asks. Oh. She knows.

I stare blankly for a while then, "Why do you ask?" I wonder if she's interested.

"I just saw the flyer outside..."

"You should-" she should audition. I've been told the story of the gekomon several times by Jyou and Taichi.

"-No, I won't."

"..."

"..."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because _I'm_ a judge?" I didn't want to be a judge. My dumb drummer forced me. Said it was for good reputation.

"No. Because. I kind of gave up singing a long time ago."

"..."

"Yeah."

"That's a waste."

"You wouldn't know."

"True. I've never heard you sing, but I've heard of how awesome your voice can sound."

"You mean Princess Karaoke? That was five years ago."

"_Princess Karaoke_?"

"That's what Chi-chan and Jyou-senpai called me."

"I've been wondering about Chi-chan too..."

"I also like to make nicknames. I have nicknames for everyone."

"You call Sora _Sunny_, right?"

"Yep, because her hair shines like gold when it collides with sunlight." Can't argue with that.

"How 'bout Daisuke?"

"Dai-sama."

"-_sama_? Why that honorific?"

"He acts like an overlord sometimes." True.

"Koushiro."

"Kou-kun or Shiro-chan... Depends on his mood." We're all aware of Koushirou's slight bipolarity. The don't-talk-to-me-I'm-on-the-internet attitude and the shit-the-world-is-about-to-end-because-of-digimon attitude. And yes, those attitudes are different from each other. Only the Chosens can tell.

"Hikari?"

"Kari-_hime_." (A/N: means princess.)

"It fits... You have one for Ken?"

"Kei-dono."

"-dono?" (A/N: highest form of honorific in Japan. Look it up)

"He's the prodigy. I'm impressed with him."

"Takeru?"

"Takkun or Take-chan." Endearing. I know how close Takeru is to Mimi. They've always been like playmates.

"How about me?" Wonder where that came from. She's always called me _just_ Yamato-kun.

The teacher walks in. "Um, you won't mind if I call you a nickname?" She whispers.

"You don't call Jyou a nickname." I suddenly realized.

"I met him before the digimon. He's kind of a childhood friend. You know, the familiarity with the parents..." So that's why Jyou's so protective of her.

"Ah."

"You want a nickname from me?" She asks.

Do I? As everyone in the group knows, I'm not really close with the females. Especially Mimi. I've always seen her as a materialistic clutz. Not that I have anything against her. We just don't seem like we'd get along. I lean my head closer, "Let's get to know each other first." I answer. She smiles back. One thing I've heard about Mimi from the other Chosen, is that she's empathetic and undertsanding, one of her better traits.

"If I do audition, can you promise me you won't laugh at me while I _attempt_ to sing?"

"Cross my heart." I probably won't laugh. Maybe smile really hard or squeal, but not laugh.

"... I'm still deciding."

"It's just a chorale Mimi." I chuckle. It's not _American Idol _or anything of the like.

"I know. Still, believe it or not, I've never been in any chorales."

"Heh. _Riding solo_."

"So..." She pokes my shoulder three times. I raise a brow. "What should I sing?"

**Sincerity**

_I was dreaming we were running from a city burning down, down, down_

_Made a break, a new escape, and let the world crash, down, down, down_

_Now there's a piece of me, tells me I shouldn't leave,_

_Everytime I see your face, because, everytime, you come around,_

_Love you take my breath away_

_Shit. I'm actually doing it in front of humans and not frogs. I'm doing it in front of more than two humans who aren't my parents or Taichi and Jyou..._

_And I just wanna breathe until I take you in,_

_I never want you to breathe until I take you in,_

_But the truth is,_

_He has no idea, that I'm even here, he has no idea, that I'm even here,_

Everyone's either gaping at me or staring at Yamato. Does it bother them that I sang his song? It's not copyright, right? My heart's beating too fast... Yamato's smiling... With teeth! Does that mean I'm doing good? I feel like throwing up... Still, it feels so good to sing. To release melodies from your throat. To just let it go.

_Get a grip, slip and trip, all the clumsy careless, words, words, words,_

_Paper-thin fingerprints on a softly spoken verse, verse, verse, verse,_

_Now there's so much of me, telling me not to leave, everytime I see your face,_

_Because, everytime, you come around,_

_How do you take my breath away,_

_And I just wanna breathe until I take you in,_

_I never want you to breathe until I take you in,_

I remember that scene from _Pitch Perfect _when the blonde chick vommitted creamy orange liquid. I wish I watched that movie with the other Chosen Children. But I didn't. Yamato said I should sing my favorite song. Well, this is my favorite song among the ones he sang. I'm not brave enough to sing an FOB song in front of people.

_But the truth is,_

_He has no idea, that I'm even here, he has no idea, that I'm even here,_

I lock gazes with Yamato. Oh my gosh, he's doing the son-I'm-proud look and everything. I could almost laugh. I didn't tell him I'd sing this song. I didn't even mention that I listen to his band. They're a great band. I absolutely adore their songs. But of course, I could never say that out loud to him, no matter how shameless I may be. He's the lone wolf with a brick wall and I'm the shallow brunette barbie, everyone assumes I am.

_He's so close when I'm so far away, when I'm so far away,_

_Let me dream, let me stay,_

_He's so close when I'm so far away, when I'm so far away,_

_I can sleep, I can dream, I can change_

Woop, that's a high note right there. I wonder if my voice cracked. I wasn't really listening to myself. Or looking at the crowd. Or breathing. Someone please kill me now.

_He has no idea, that I'm even here,_

_He has no idea, that I'm even here,_

_He has no idea, that I'm even here,_

_No idea, idea, idea, he has no idea. _(A/N: please listen to the song xD, I'm not good in writing lyrics; it's called No Idea by All Time Low and it reminds me of Mimato and in this fic The Teenage Wolves originally sang it)

The end. I press stop on my ipod and hide my earphones in my pocket. Yes, I was singing while listening to the original track. Just to ease nervousness. I sort of pretended Yamato was singing with me during the whole thing. I'm still staring at my shoes. My legs are shaking. Also my hands. Should I look up to the judges?

"God, can I just tell you, you're gorgeous." A voice said. I'm pretty sure that voice belongs to a female. I slowly lift my eyes to meet hers. The music teacher. She gets up from her seat, walks up to the stage and stands face to face with me. Cups my face. Examines.

"I completely agree with you Aoyama-sensei." Another voice further from the front said. Yamato throws a glare to the voice and rolls his eyes. The bearer of the voice had drumsticks on his chest pocket. I guess he's part of The Teenage Wolves.

"Sensei, results should be posted next week." Yamato reminds, he was sitting like_ Adam Levine_ in _The Voice_. Legs crossed and all that. Aoyama-sensei starts to fiddle with my hair.

"This is your girlfriend, Ishida?" Aoyama-sensei asks, finally taking her hands off me.

"No, I'm not." I answer.

"Oh, goodie!" The drummer five rows behind Yamato comments.

"Akira, just stop." The blonde orders.

"That's a shame. Look at her, perfect looks, perfect voice... Just like you." Sensei trails off.

I clear my throat. "Um, could I go down now?" It's not evident, but I have stage fright.

"Oh sure, darling. I can't believe no one clapped for you. You were the best among the tryouts." I wonder if Sensei is notorious for being a flatterer. I say no reply and timidly walk off the stage, sitting exactly behind Yamato, on the first row of the audience seats. We were at the Theatrix Hall in Odaiba High, where drama plays and other performances take place. A few people were still staring at me (A/N: imagine HSM tryouts scene). I fiddle with my fingers, now sweaty.

"I knew you had it in you." Yamato whispers to me, without turning his chair.

"Shut up." I push him gently. I can feel him smirking.

I'm just glad it's over. I sigh to myself. Yamato hands me his lemonized water. I smile gratefully at him.

"Hi." I feel a presence. Is it the drummer?

"Akira, shut up." Yamato utters. He had his eyes locked on the next performer, attention obviously somewhere else.

"I wasn't talking to you, Yama." Akira retorts then moves closer to me. I look up at the guy.

I say nothing. "I'm Kouno Akira. Pleasure to meet you." He holds out his hand.

"She's Tachikawa Mimi, and she probably won't say it, but she doesn't feel that it's nice meeting you." Yamato holds out his hand to Akira. I let out a small laugh. He could be funny at times. Aoyama-sensei and the other student judge looks over to Yamato and sigh.

"Excuse their inappropriate behavior. I'm Hori Tokiya, by the way. Current male lead of the chorale." The student sitting beside Aoyama-sensei says.

"Hi." I mutter. I wasn't sure if he could hear me. I still had the aftershock from performing. Even if it was only in front of less than thirty people.

I see Yamato glare at something behind me. I turn my head and catch two boys waving _hi_ four rows behind me. "Don't even introduce yourselves." He says.

"We're just waving our hands." The boy with the can of coke said. Yamato rolls his eyes and turns back to the performer on stage. I wave hi back to the boys and smile. The one with glasses gave me a flying kiss. I giggle.

**Friendship**

"This is Miyamura Takashi, eldest, the serious and mature one, lead guitarist, you could say he's my best friend among them, and don't worry, because he's taken." I narrate, referring to the boy with the spiked hair and eyeglasses. Mimi nods and smiles at the boy.

"The coke addict, Ishikawa Yutaka, the softie, keyboard or guitar, single, but not dangerous." I point to the one beside me.

"Why do you introduce us like we're a pack of predators?" Akira says.

"Because you are, well actually, only you are." I say back to him. What can I say? We are named The Teenage _Wolves_. Mimi giggles on my right. "Last and probably the least, Kouno Akira, the idiot of the band, most annoying, loudest, youngest, plays drums."

"Ishida Yamato, lead singer and bassist, the sarcastic and egoistic one of the band." Akira replies.

"Sorry 'bout them, Tachikawa-san. They're always fighting over everything." Takashi says.

"It's okay, I know how Yamato-kun fights with his friends. And you can call me Mimi." Mimi answers.

"I do not _fight_. Fight is physical. I prefer the term _debating_." I should know the difference.

Akira rolls his eyes. "He's also the poet of the band." I'm the writer of most songs, not exactly poet.

"That's so ironic because he hates english." Mimi comments. I elbow her. She laughs.

"She's so freaking cute." I hear Yutaka whisper to Takashi.

I look back at Mimi. She _is_ cute. I've always known that. I just didn't make a big deal out of it, unlike everybody else. I nudge her again. "Thanks for waiting for me 'til the auditions were over."

She shrugs. "Don't mention it... I don't know where else I'm supposed to go anyway." Is that a hint?

"Want me to walk you home?" Coincidentally, I didn't say that. Dammit, Akira.

"Um, I kind of need to stop somewhere..."

"Oh." Ha ha. Rejected. Why do I have this feeling she declined because it was Akira who asked her?

Mimi gets up and heads for the door. She bows to us. "I'm glad I met you all." She rests her palm on my head. "I'll see you tomorrow, _Smirky_."

"Bye Mimi-chan!" -Takashi

"I'll call you!" -Akira

"See you later!" -Yutaka

"Bye, _Giggly_." -Me. Then she's gone. I never got to say she did amazing on singing our song. Oh well, I always have english class, oh look, I'm looking forward to english class. The band stares at me and frowns.

"Giggly?" Setsu gives me a pitying look.

"What? It fits her." I defend.

"How does Giggly fit someone as meaningful and marvelous as Mimi?" Oh my God, did Akira just go all alliteration on me?

"She giggles a lot." Thank you, Yutaka.

"I noticed too, but that's not the best nickname for her." Takashi scratches his chin.

"I tried matching what she said... She called me Smirky."

"Giggly and Smirky do not match. Smirky is like cute and fond-y while Giggly is just... A sad attempt." Akira says.

Takashi shakes his head. "I always overestimated your speech limit."

"I thought you were the Shakespeare of the band." Yutaka says, clicking his tongue twice.

"How about _Smiley_?" I try. _Grinny? Happy? Laughy?_ (A/N: suggestions on what Yama calls Mimi?)

**Sincerity**

Truthfully, I just felt sick, which is why I needed to go out of the damned hall, I couldn't let anyone see me this way. I rush to the bathroom to splash water in my face. The last time I've felt this much pressure was when we were fighting Apocalymon. I clutch my chest. Inhale, exhale.

"Immune system, get a grip." I say to myself. Come on, Emi, you can't deal with this now.

After the headache's gone, I walk around the school.

"Caramel!" Somoene calls out. I hadn't realized I reached the field. I hear faint sounds of footsteps behind me.

"Choco."

"Hey, why are you still at school?" Taichi asks. He looks twice as buff and tall clad in his soccer gear.

"I auditioned for the chorale."

His face turned serious. "What? Are you alright?" He rests a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry. The panic attacks stopped when I turned thirteen, remember?" Lie. It's one of the reasons why I hadn't pursued music and why my parents are so nervous when it comes to me facing the digimon.

"Are you sure? You look a bit pale."

"I'm fine. The Theatrix Hall was a bit cold."

"So you ran into Yamato, I suppose."

"Yeah I did. He's all big time now, being a judge and everything."

Taichi laughs. "I have soccer practice and we just ran twenty-five laps. Coach is giving us a break." He sits on a bench behind me, patting the place beside him.

I smile and sit down. I suddenly feel a hundred times warmer. I start to snicker. "Choco, your body heat is spreading."

He grins. "Sorry, I may not be tired, but I still sweat, you know."

I wish I had a normal body network, like him. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I gave Yamato-kun a nickname."

He gaped. "Really, now."

"Yeah."

He leaned forward, amused. "I can't believe he let you do that."

"Me too."

"What'd you call him?"

"_Smirky_."

"Haha, that's Yamato in one word."

"He called me _Giggly_."

"... Okay, that's the worst nickname anyone called you... Though it does describe you, it still sounds wrong."

I laugh. "It's clear that he doesn't use nicknames much."

"Yeah, he's not that kind of guy."

"I have a question, Choco."

"What is it?"

"Um, was Smirky a bad boyfriend?"

"No. He was the best. Dedicated songs to her, bought her jewelry, called her every night. Unfortunately, I am also oblivious as to why they parted." Wow, so direct. Wait, if Taichi, the best friend of Sora _and_ Yamato, don't know why they broke up, who else would?

"Really?" I thought Sora told Taichi _everything_. That he was more of her best friend than me. I guess she wasn't kidding when she told me only her and Yamato knew.

"Yep." He pokes my forehead. "Why are you so curious about them?"

"I just want to know... I mean, I'm Sora's best friend and all, and I kind of feel like she shut me out or something. Plus, I'm genuinely worried about how she's handling it. She acts like there's never been any relationship."

Taichi nods. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I asked both of them about it, and both spilled nothing. I just respect their choices, even if I felt slightly betrayed like, _Am I not your BFF?_ About Sora's feelings, I don't think she's much affected. They did say it was mutual."

"That makes me more dedicated on finding out. It was _mutual_, Choco. It means there was something they agreed on together that's just worth breaking them apart."

He pats my head, "Don't dwell on it much, Caramel. It's their choice, whatever reason, they should know we're here for them."

I sigh. "I feel so left out." Taichi understands so much, while I sound deranged.

"Hey, you're not the only best friend who's hurt."

"I meant in the our group."

"What?"

"The Chosen Children."

"... What?" Translation: _you are so not left out. You're Tachikawa Mimi._

"Taichi, I've been absent for the past two years."

"Who cares? You're here now."

"No, you don't get it. The past two years, I didn't get to _live_ with you guys. I've just been updated over and over, but I wasn't there. Period."

"Mimi, we miss you all the time."

"I know and I miss you guys everytime too."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I've missed too much, Taichi. Too much that you guys _wouldn't mind_ if I spend the rest of my life in America."

"..."

"I've been gone for so long that the group doesn't notice the fact that Mimi's not here anymore."

"Mimi..." I'm right. I know I am.

"No one needs me here."

"That's not true."

"Even Sora doesn't care if I'm here or not. The truth is, I need you guys."

"Caramel... Oh God, come on, Mimi. Don't. I know you're stronger than this... And I'm really sweaty so if you cry on me right now, you'll smell like my perspiration."

I manage to sniffle a laugh. He rubs my back. "I want to be the girl who everyone's close with."

"You mean again?"

"No. I never was that girl."

"Yes you were."

"I never even talked to Yamato-kun on my own initiative."

"Heh, you two are the same. Not talking to each other I mean." Me and Yamato only talk during coincidences, mostly regarding the digimon.

"You're so lucky, Chi-chan."

"That you just made my shirt damper?" I playfully pinch him.

"That you're the guy anyone can talk to. Even outside the Chosen Children."

"You're that girl too."

"Am not. Everyone thinks I'm a fake, choosy, mean girl."

"Then prove them wrong."

"How?"

"I don't know. Be more... Noticeable by means of being really nice and friendly."

"..."

"You're currently noticeable because you're cuter than most girls."

"Oh. You mean I should redirect people to my inner beauty."

"Yes. Because everyone should know Tachikawa Mimi is beautiful in _and_ out." He pokes my nose and stands up. "Gotta go, Caramel. Talk to you later, 'kay?"

"Okay."

"Bye."

"Thanks."

"Anytime, Caramel. Anytime."

_Friday, 8:00 pm_

_Hello Diary, (I'll make a name for you soon)_

_I love fridays. Choco consulted me today. It's so easy to open up to him. Yagami Taichi is Choco by the way. It's because of his eye and hair color. And his preferred flavor of milk and snacks. He's such a good friend. He's best friends with everyone. I wish I could be like him sometimes. He's one of those people who never complained about me being me. Who accepts everyone for who they are. It's like he bears all the crests and that's just what makes him more amazing. He unites us. He proved that a long time ago, back when Sora was taken hostage in the digital world. I also can't believe he's still single. I mean Sora (yes her, people should know she has a thing for him) or some other girl should've made a move already by this time. I swear, Choco is so underrated. Maybe it has something to do with him being best friends with the Alpha Wolf. And yes I'm talking about Smirky. He's actually nice to me. Makes me wonder why we never really interacted. Oh I remember, it's because he used to fight with everyone a lot and I was a bit scared of him, I mean come on, the guy used to be a warfreak. XD I met the other members of The Teenage Wolves today! Akira, Takashi, and Yutaka, they're very funny and adorable together. I auditioned for the chorale singing my favorite song by Yamato's band and I almost had a panic attack. My last seizure was seven months ago. When Bitch cheated. Today, I realized that I miss singing. And that I have no chance on becoming a singer because of my stage fright and panic attacks._

_-Caramel_

_P.S. I still want to find out why Sorato broke up. The little sherlock that I am ;) _

* * *

A/N: R&R! What should Yama call Mimi? Should I add Michi in here?


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi again. Prepare yourselves for multi-Mimi ships.

* * *

_Chapter 3: Bonds_

**Courage**

"I think it suits you."

"Well, _I_ don't."

"You do understand why dad suggested it to you, right?"

"A little. What should I do?"

"Why are you asking _me_?"

"Between the two of us, you're the oracle."

"Onii-chan." Her tone became firm.

"What?"

"I love you and all but you should make your own decision." I should've known she would say that. She gestures closer. I put an arm around her. She places her legs on my lap and her head on my shoulder. The usual bored couch cuddle.

"..."

"..."

I twirl a lock of her light chestnut hair. "You're such a brocon, Hikari."

She rolls her eyes. " As if you aren't a siscon yourself." Unlike other siblings, me and Hikari openly admit we have sibling complexes. It's useless to deny it anyway. The other Children always notice how we're so clingy to each other.

"I'm not going to tell the C.C's*... Not until I make the right choice." (*A/N: Chosen Children)

"You know, being a Student Executive is nothing compared to the battles in the digital world."

"It's not _just_ being a Student Executive. Dad wants me to run for President."

"As I said, what's the problem with that?"

"I'm not responsible."

"You are."

"I'm not responsible_ in school_."

"You can if you try."

"I'm not smart."

"You are when you need to be."

"I'm reckless."

"Who cares?"

"Hikari, I'm serious."

"So am I!" She frees herself from my arms, sits up straight and faces me, crossing her arms. "Onii-chan, you tend to underestimate yourself too much."

"Yeah but the people around me overestimate me too much."

"Besides, think about it. Dad's only telling you to try. You know, _try_ to run for Student Pres. If you don't deserve to be that guy, then the school wouldn't let you become an official candidate for the election."

"Oh," I hug a cushion to take her place. "You're right."

"Right. What I'm really saying is-"

"It won't hurt to try."

"Yes! Onii-chan." She slams a pillow on my face. "See? You are smart when you need to be."

I fall down on my back, lying on the floor. "Stop! Kar, you're suffocating me." She laughs, still rubbing the pillow, blocking my mouth. Unluckily for her, I have the bigger muscles, so I'm able to reverse our position, pin her down and tickle her.

"Honestly, I don't get why you assumed you'd already become the Pres once you apply to becoming a _candidate_." She manages to utter in between her giggles. I stop tickling her and lie on the sofa. "Sometimes, you have this built-in confidence and ego, and you don't even notice it." She adds with a grin, walking to the kitchen.

**Knowledge**

"Good morning, _bastard_." Ah. Only one person could call me that in such a leisurely tone. He found it wise to call me a vulgar nickname to express familiarity because I vaguely show my fondness to my friends, due to my complicated, rather, sophisticated speech. He even got me to curse him, once.

"What brings you here, Taichi-san?" I say, not turning my head from my computer screen.

"Check this out." He flops a piece of paper on my keyboard. I stare at it, a million thoughts ran in my head,

_Student Executive Candidate Application Sheet_

_Name: Yagami Taichi_

_Class/Year: 2-C_

_Desired granted position: President_

I place my palm on my forehead. The first thing I said was, "Why?" I give him an are-you-serious look.

He shrugs and smiles goofily. I perceive he's amused by my reaction. "My dad wanted me to do it."

"You could've said no."

"It won't hurt to try."

"Taichi-san, you're a junior."

"I know. But isn't that easier? I mean, I already know I won't get accepted."

I shake my head. "You should do something that benefits you instead of staying neutral."

"It's trying something new... Is that a bad thing?"

"No it's not. It's just that... It isn't like you."

"It's unlike me to be spontaneous?" If I needed to describe him in one word, it would be spontaneous.

"No, no. Ah, how do I elaborate... The Taichi-san I know doesn't care about success or failure," I can tell from his face that he doesn't know what I'm talking about. I sigh. "Yagami Taichi cares about being happy. What will make you happy?"

"..." He furrows his eyebrows.

"Will it make you happy, Taichi-san?"

"... I don't know."

"Well, remember two years ago, the christmas concert?"

He rolled his eyes and snickered. "How does that have anything to do with this?"

"You looked for Sora-san right? You two got separated before the concert started and you found her outside Yamato-san's dressing room." (A/N: Japanese version of christmas episode)

"I know what happened, Shiro."

"Yes, but we never got to ask you why you looked for her."

"Duh, we got separated. I mean, the two of us were the only ones attending so we should've stuck together."

"Oh really... Are you sure you didn't want to, I don't know, maybe ask her out?"

"... Where are you going with this?"

"I was thinking that, assuming you wanted to ask her out, it would make you happy if she said yes. But then you found out she was going to ask Yamato-san out. That made you happy too. I mean, naturally."

"Of course, they're my best friends."

"What if she didn't plan to ask Yamato-san out? But still rejected you? Would you still be happy?"

"..."

"I guess what I'm saying is, you should prepare for the unexpected, Taichi-san," He ruffles his hair. "You never know what might disappoint you in the future... You know, stuff like not being good enough..."

He grinned and backhugged me. Awkward. I never got hugged by a male friend before. I was still in my chair. "You're a good friend, _Kou_."

I smile. "So are you, _bastard_."

**Sincerity**

"Seriously, do you ever leave this place?" I have to admit, it's a bit convenient that he's always in the computer room. We always know where to find him.

"I'm sorry, I don't recall you scheduling an appointment." He jokes.

"Ugh, stop it with the computer already!" I playfully punch him on the shoulder. "I need attention too, Kou-kun." I put on my award-winning puppy dog face.

Unfortunately, he was the only person who could resist it, ever since I was eleven. Still not looking at me, he said, "I _do_ have enough attention for you." He pats my head. He's not even smiling. What a wuss.

I frown, slamming my book on his desk. He stares at it then eyes me. "Please?" I say.

"Why me?" He says, but he flips the pages. "I mean, why not Jyou-senpai?"

"He's always busy. And frankly, I'm a bit shy because the others are in a different year so I thought it's best to ask someone in the same grade level."

I see a corner of his lips rise. "I'm warning you though. Math isn't my specialty."

I grin. "Yay, Thanks so much, Kou-kun!" I pull my chair closer to his.

**Love**

"Sora, your boy toy is here." Himari said. I look to the direction she pointed.

"He's not my boy toy." I say back to her, walking toward the visitor.

"Sorry, am I interrupting?" He says.

"No, actually I just finished my last match. We're packing up."

"Oh." He held a distant look. He definitely had something on his mind.

"So what's up?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"Sure." I put down my tennis racket and sit on the rough grass beside the tree. He follows.

"Sora." He sighs, covering his face with both bands.

"Taichi, what's wrong?" I rub his back.

"Wah." He bearhugs me, not showing his face.

"What is it? What's on your mind?"

"Would it bother you if I ran for Student Council President?"

**Knowledge**

Unexpectedly, Mimi's applying the things I taught her flawlessly. She seems much more focused, compared to when we were kids. "You got this one right, as well." I say, pointing to problem number four.

"Really? I was sure I'd be wrong on that one," She fiddles with her hands. "Hey, Kou-kun, I'm sorry if I bothered you. If only the teacher wasn't so strict on the quiz, I..."

"It's nothing, Mimi-san," I say, resolving the problems she got wrong. "Honestly, I'm glad you came to _me_." Whoops. I sort of slipped.

"I can't believe you."

"Hm?"

"You still call me Mimi-san? Kou-kun, we're the same age, so you don't have to pretend there's a gap or anything."

I chuckle. "I'll work on it."

She puts her a hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad I came to you too, Kou-kun." I hope I wasn't blushing.

I clear my throat. "So what have you been up to lately?"

"Oh, right. I auditioned for the school chorale."

"You did? I thought you gave up on singing."

"Maybe, but I've never given up on music."

"Did you get accepted?"

"I hope so. _Smirky_ was one of the judges so..."

"Who's Smirky?"

"Oh, sorry. Yamato-kun." Woah, woah, woah. Mimi nicknamed Yamato? As in Ishida Yamato?

"Wow. When did you two get so close?"

"I wouldn't call it close... More like... We're in the process of getting to know each other."

"That's good because you haven't done that for the past six years since you've known him."

"It's not my fault, he was so scary."

I smile. "You scared him too."

"I _what_?"

**Love**

"Where did this come from?"

"My dad suggested it to me. I've been thinking about it."

"It would bother me."

"Huh?"

"It would bother me if you try to run for President."

He turns his head to look at me. Not with dismay, but with concern and consideration. "Is it because people don't expect me to try to be someone else?"

"No. It would bother me because I know how you are when it comes to tasks and responsibilities. You give them too much thoughts and attention."

"That's a bad thing?"

"Sometimes you tend to disregard other things."

"I do?"

"Okay... Remember when you gave me the hairclip?"

He smirks. "Here we go again." I playfully smack him.

"All you wanted to do was to give me a birthday present right?"

"I'm glad you understand that."

"You didn't think about how I would feel if you gave me a damned hairclip." Maybe I did overreact on that... But still.

"I _did_ tell you I was sorry. This is important because..."

"Because, if you become the Student Council Pres, would you still have time for _us_?" _Would you still have time for me?_ He frowns. I link my arm to his, "Also, you... You push yourself too hard sometimes, Taichi. It's not healthy. You have high standards as to how you'd fulfill these tasks and end up being stressed and sad and..." He suddenly laces his fingers to mine.

"I'm lucky to have you, Sora." But I'm luckier to have him.

"I don't want you to lose yourself." My goofy messy idiotic funny laid-back best friend.

"I won't. I have you guys," He smiled tenderly and gets up. "Anyway, why are you so sure that I'll be elected? I'm a sophomore!"

I shrug. "You're Yagami Taichi, after all."

"So?"

"AKA Superman." You could do anything.

"Hey, is that Yagami?" I hear whispers around us. "Oh my gosh, he's a total hunk." I had to keep myself from pouncing them. I roll my eyes. I wonder if Taichi heard them, he always ignores how popular he is, pretending he's only known because his best friend is Yamato. He was staring at a paper I assumed was his application form.

"Thanks for talking to me, Sora." He grins then leans on a tree beside us. "Ow. What's this?" He reaches for his back and pulls out a piece of paper taped on the tree.

"It's a flyer."

"Cheerleading auditions."

"Oh. Are you signing up?"

We laugh at my joke. "Hey, we should give this to Caramel." He says.

"Oh yeah. I remember she mentioned she was a cheerleader in her American school."

"Speaking of auditions, you know the one that Yamato judged?"

"Mimi auditioned for the chorale?"

"Yeah. Good for her right?"

"I thought she had the annoying panic attacks."

"She told me the seizures ended a few years ago."

"That's great. She'll be able to join a few clubs, too."

"Hey guys, what's up?" Yamato greeted from behind us. "I was just heading to band practice." He had his bass guitar slung over his back.

"Perfect timing, Yamato." Taichi hands him the flyer. "Could you give this to Mimi? I need to do submit a document in the faculty office."

**Friendship**

Koushiro doesn't usually laugh _that_ hard. I wonder if Mimi has a different effect on him. The two of them always seemed to be in each other's company even if they have conflicting personalities. Standing by the door, I clear my throat to catch their attention. They finally turn their heads. What were they laughing about, anyway?

"Um, I have something for you." I say, referring to Mimi. She stands up with her backpack and walks toward me.

"What is it Yamato-kun?" I thought she called me Smirky? I guess we need to be closer for the nicknames to be consistently used.

"Taichi wanted to give you this." I hand her the flyer. She stares at it with a dubious expression. Eyebrows knitted together, eyes held low, hands gripped. She seemed slightly pressured. "What is it?" I ask.

Her face changed immediately. Smile wide, eyes bright, dimples visible. "What? It's nothing." She faces Koushiro. "I have to go now, Kou-kun. Thanks for tutoring me. I'll see you guys later." Mimi walks out the room, like she was in a hurry.

"What was that about?" I mutter to myself.

"You should go speak to her." Koushiro says.

"How about you?"

He shrugs. "I'm unaware of what's on her mind as well."

"You want me to go talk to her?" I would've thought he was more familiar with her. I remember Taichi, Sora and Miyako mentioning how compatible Mimi and Koushiro are. _We ship them_, they said.

Koushiro nods in reply, "You two need to bond more."

**Sincerity**

"Is there something wrong?" He asks. I turn my head to face him.

"Why'd you chase me?"

"I just wanted to know if there's something wrong..."

"I'm okay."

"Do you hate cheerleading?"

"You know, you're going to be late for band practice."

"I know," He abruptly grips my hand and starts dragging me. "I'm sure the other guys would be glad to see you again."

Before I could protest, "Koushiro told me we should be together more." He says. I roll my eyes. This definitely had something to do with what the two of us talked about back in the computer lab. Still. I can't believe Yamato's tolerating my presence. He seems willing about spending time with me. Duh, _Crest of Friendship._

As we reached the band room, which was located at the back of the school grounds, I heard loud booming words, music, along with deep, rough voices or screaming cheers that followed the song, from behind the door.

_Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way you that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, _

I tried to supress my laughter. Yamato was shaking his head beside me, palm on forehead.

_But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell, you don't know, oh, oh, You don't know you're beautiful,_

He knocks on the door. "Yamato, you're late," Takashi the guitarist opens the door, making the music louder and clearer. He takes one glance at me, "Oh, shit." Then closes the door again. The speakers were turned off and I can hear him say, _Guys, Mimi alert_. I couldn't help but giggle. Yamato mouths _Sorry_ to me.

Takashi opens the door again. He, Akira, and Yutaka were beside each other, like sardines in a pack, blushing and grinning shyly. Takashi scratches his head. "Sorry about that, Mimi-chan."

"It's okay. I know a lot of guys who're fans of _One Direction._" Some guy friends from New York... Yamato and I enter the room. It wasn't so messy, it was just rightfully evident that four boys spend leisurely time and/or work with music in here.

"Um, Mimi... _I_, ahem, _we_ don't want you to get the wrong idea and think that we have bad taste in music." Akira says.

"Who said 1D is bad taste? I don't love 'em, but I don't hate 'em either." Frankly, I think they have pretty good voices. I sit in a mono-block beside the stereo. Crunch. I sat on a torn notebook page.

"You didn't tell us she'd be coming with you." Yutaka says.

Yamato seems preoccupied with pouring coke into a cup. "My bad, I forgot it was _Mixtape Monday_ today." He said. I read the torn notebook page before putting it in my bag discreetly.

"What's Mixtape Monday?" I ask. The boys all look at each other.

Akira laughs. "Every monday during band practice, we jam into a mixtape of different songs other from our genre." As far as I know, they're Alternative Rock.

"Songs by artists like _Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo_, even Kpop..." Yamato gives me the cup of coke. "Sorry, it's the only drink we have."

"The weird thing about Mixtape Monday is that we actually have to like the random songs." Yutaka explains. "Which is natural, since every pro in the industry respects every genre of music."

I wonder who put on One Direction. "So what does Yamato-kun usually play during mondays?"

Takashi elbows the blonde. "_Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Mariah Carey_..." He snickers. I see Yamato roll his eyes.

"He has great taste, then." I say. I also personally prefer falsetto singers.

"Thanks." He pats my head.

"Yeah, Mixtape Mondays are meant to be a guilty pleasure activity," Takashi explains. "Any reason why you came, Mimi-chan?" He asks me.

"I brought her here. I thought she should listen to us play some tunes." Yamato answers, eyes on me.

I smile at him. He must've thought I was feeling down or something. "Well then, Mr. Leader, what should we play for the beautiful lady here?" Akira said, grabbing his drumsticks.

"Let's go with _Guts_." Yamato replies. The other guys tense and look at each other. (A/N: Guts by _All Time Low_. It's so good. Here in the fic the Teenage Wolves sang it.)

"Are you sure, Yamato?" Yutaka asks.

"Yeah, it's okay. I want her to hear it." He glances at me. I wonder what the song's about. I've heard comments about his song writing from the . After setting up their equipment, the boys start to nod 1, 2, a 1, 2, 3...

_Shooting for the stars, desperately reaching,_

_For something in the dark, pictures of memories,_

_Buried in my heart, lie awake and dream of,_

_The endless possibilities, catch my breath and go for it,_

_Take apart, everything that's holding me down_

_Make a point to pick a new direction, to make a new connection,_

_Is this what it feels like? Finding out _-I've seen only a few of his live performances, like this one, they've all managed to captivate me. His voice sounds so majestic and consistent, for a guy. Seriously.

_That I've got the guts to say anything_

_Feels like, breaking out_

_When I can give up my reputation, finally, I can see_

_Honestly, I've got the guts to say anything_

_Bold enough to fall, flat on my face_

_But I walk as they crawl, slowing down_

_It's such a waste of Time to let go_

_Tapping my fingers, to the rhythm of a metronome_

_Counting opportunities_

_Take apart, the gravity that's holding me down_

_Make a point, to find a resolution_

_To be my own solution _-Takashi is the perfect lead guitarist. He makes such great harmony with Yutaka's rhythm.

_Is this what it feels like? Finding out,_

_That I've got the guts to say anything, _

_Feels like, breaking out_

_When I can give up my reputation, finally, I can see_

_Honestly, I've got the guts to say anything_

"That's it?" I lean forward from my seat, "I mean, no bridge? No final chorus?" It seemed short.

"That's the thing, it's not done yet." Yamato sits beside me, his bass settled on his lap.

"You wanted me to listen to an unfinished song?"

"Yeah. I just wanted an honest opinion. You're a music lover and you're also honest so..." Well, at least I'm useful.

"I think it's awesome." I'm not eligible enough to find a more suitable word than awesome.

"Truthfully, we don't know how to finish it," Akira says, drifting away from his drumkit. "But I'm glad you think it sounds great."

"Can you send me a copy?" I ask Yamato. Yutaka chokes a bit. I don't think I've ever seen his mouth not sipping a coke, except for when he plays guitar.

"Come again?"

"A copy of the song. Do you have one?"

"Uh yeah, of course."

"Cool. Make me a copy?"

"Okay." He replies, getting the case for his bass guitar.

"Hey Mimi-chan, did you know he names that thing?" Akira scoffs.

"You mean his bass? I've heard from Sora." Me and Yamato share a glance.

"Right, remember when I told you guys Sora had a best friend

not in Japan? Well, here she is." Nice to know he mentions me to his friends.

"You're _the_ girlfriend's best friend?" -Akira.

"Ex." -Yamato.

I clear my throat. "So um, what do you name it?"

"It's a him," Yamato says. "I call him _Takari_." He smirks.

"Ohmygod, why?" I guffaw.

"Takeru gave it to me." That's so sweet of him. Takeru's always such a sweetheart. He gave me a box of red velvet cupcakes, my favorites, when I just came back from the US.

"Who told you about the term Takari?"

"Sora did. I recall she got it from you."

"She did get it from me. Wait, you know what it means right?"

"Takeru and Hikari."

I laugh again. "Ohmygod."

"What?! What's so funny?" He says it so rhetorically, though he's laughing like me.

"Does Take-chan know?"

"Yeah, he knows I named it after him and his future wife."

I slap him on the shoulder. We both laugh. "The funny thing is, Kari-hime doesn't know what it means."

"That's exactly why I named it that. Like when they finally get married, I'll tell Hikari, _I knew this would happen._ _Remember my guitar?_" We laugh again. That's actually smart. I should do that.

"Ahem, excuse me, what are we talking about again?" -Akira.

"Sorry, uh, his brother. Sorry, ugh, I'm ruining your practice." I stutter.

"No, no. It's alright. Akira's just jealous." -Takashi. Yamato rolls his eyes. Jealous? Why would Akira be jealous?

**Friendship**

After we practiced some old songs and wrote parts of new ones, I offer to walk Mimi home. I'm relieved she didn't just leave while we were working, when she could have. She makes a great company, critic, and audience, something I never tried to find out.

"You never told me why you were upset." I say, squinting at the bright flare of the sunset. We just walked out of the school gate.

"I wasn't upset."

"Well, you seemed not happy."

"So you're saying if I'm not happy, I'm upset?" She smirks.

"That's what the term means, also, happy is your default." She smiles at me.

"I don't think I'll audition as a cheerleader."

"Weren't you in America?"

"Yeah I was, but I don't want to anymore."

"Oh."

"..."

"You don't seem as if you don't want to. More like something's stopping you."

"Heh, I've been told I'm easy to read."

"By who?"

"A lot of people."

"So... What were you and Koushiro talking about back in the comp room?"

She giggles. "Why do you want to know?"

"He was laughing like crazy."

"Can you promise me you won't get angry?"

I chuckle. "Now I'm really curious."

"Promise?"

"I can't."

"Just don't physically attack me."

"What makes you think I'll really do that?"

"We talked about you."

"Oh did you, now."

"We talked about why I never talked to you."

"This is interesting." I say. She giggles. "Tell me more."

"I told him you make these scary faces..."

"You're meaner than I thought."

"You make these scary faces when you glare at Chi-chan or when it involves Take-chan."

"..."

"And you're voice is so unexpectedly deep and husky when you abruptly speak up like, Zoro's, intimidating." Of all people, _Zoro_?

"You know, some people actually _like_ my voice."

"And how you make demonic frowns and straighten your eyebrows." She scrunches her face. "And when you raise your mouth to form a completely inverted smile." She demonstrates.

"Demonic." I copy, chuckling.

"And your firm tone when you reprimand anyone."

"Sounds to me you didn't like me much, back then."

"I just had a really bad first impression of you," She grins. "I wondered why Take-chan admired you so much."

"..." I also have a bad first impression of her.

"But then again, I saw how much you love Takeru and how you don't want to let anyone down and how you strive to be someone better," She glances at me. "I liked that about you."

"Awww," I say, patting her head. "I hated and also liked you too, Mimi."

"That's what Koushiro said," She says, hooking her finger on my bag. "I've always wanted to be friends with you, because despite being a warfreak, you do have the Crest of Friendship and I've seen how you treat your friends like you act so mean but really you're just hiding your soft spot like you're afraid to get to attached."

"I'm not a warfreak."

"The thing is, you don't really need to put up a wall between you and the world."

"You don't understand."

"I know," She says, looking straight to my eyes. "But it's so inconvenient when you only choose specific people to put down those walls for. It's kind of unfair."

"..."

"Like, you should've given me the chance to be friends with you too." She pouts animatedly. "You're so close with everyone else. Chi-chan, Sou-chan, Jyou-senpai, Kou-kun, Kari-Hime..."

"..."

"Why'd you exempt me?"

"Okay, do you know what kind of first impression you imply?"

"Yeah," She shrugs. "Ditzy, annoying, insignificant, materialistic, the list goes on..."

"Then you should understand why I didn't approach you back then."

"Ouch, you're a judgmental type after all."

"Like I said, I hated and also liked you too, Mimi," I say, pocketing both hands. "Takeru told me he had this huge crush on you and I laughed at him." She pushed me slightly on the shoulder.

"And you say _I'm_ mean."

"And ever since he said that, I've been watching your actions."

"Ew."

I laugh. "I've learned that it's not a bad thing to be yourself. It's not a bad thing to like extravagance, or to miss home."

"...Aww."

"I respected and admired how you carry yourself so confidently and even though you're a pain sometimes, you're always there for anyone. You never judged Takeru as a crybaby, you're aware of everyone's flaws, you understood and accepted them despite the fact most of them were bothered by how you act... That's kind of why I was afraid to talk to you."

"Why?"

"I didn't talk to you because of your girly-girl attitude, but because I was afraid you'd know me too well."

"And that's bad because..."

"Like you said, I don't want to get so attached."

"That's so unfair. Sora and Taichi-"

"Sora was my crush, back then. It's impossible not to open up to the, I hate to admit it, leader. And let's face it, Taichi became my best friend."

"Hmph." She pouts, crossing her arms and whips her hair at me, turning her head away. I grin.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I have to admit, I kind of get how Takeru developed a crush on you." I smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean come on," I say, gripping her shoulder. "You're not ugly."

She punches me playfully. I laugh.


	5. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4: The Fault In Our Frienship_

**Sincerity**

I hate this so much.

**Friendship**

I sit next to Taichi. "Why is Mimi absent today?"

"She isn't in english?" Sora asked. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her in the morning assembly." I shake my head in response.

"Being in the same batch, I haven't seen her around as well." -Koushiro.

"I suppose she isn't late? It's lunch already." -Jyou.

"I hope she's okay." -Takeru.

"Let me try mailing her."' Sora gets her phone from her pocket and starts typing.

"She's been doing okay these past few days right?" Taichi glances at me then exchanges looks with Sora. "I mean, has she been showing signs of not being herself?" Sora whispers something to him. They make eye contact with Jyou. He nods back.

"If you count unhappiness as a symptom, then yes." I say, fiddling with the bottle cap of my water.

"She's not replying... Which is unusual." Sora says.

"Maybe she will later." -Taichi,

"Wanna visit her after school?"

"Maybe she needs some time alone." He gives her a meaningful look.

**Sincerity**

_Caramel? Why are you not here? -Sunny_

_Mimi, did you check your temperature? Your meds are on the bathroom cupboard just in case okay? I love you. We'll be back by nine. -Mom_

_Emi, please. Are you sure you want to delete this message?Message deleted._

My phone dropped. Maybe I did it on purpose.

**Frienship**

"Yamato!" Someone called out.

"Oh, Tokiya." (A/N: introduced in ch 2)

"Is Tachikawa-san with you?"

I grip the strap of my guitar case. "She didn't come to school today." I scratch my head. "Why do you ask?" He hands me a piece of paper. The newly-approved chorale members.

"She made the cut." He shrugs. "Aoyama-sensei even wants her to be a _mezzo-soprano _main vocal." (A/N: voice range term.)

About time the news came out. "That's great. I'll tell her."

"You just finished band practice?" He points to my instrument.

"Yeah. We're working on new stuff."

"Heh, seems like just yesterday the two of us were fighting over who'd be lead vocal in Aoyama-sensei's tiny chorale."

"Then _I_ got the position. Ah yes, good times." Then I quit the chorale to form the band.

He rolled his eyes and smirked. "Now, look at you. You're bound to go international. Don't get that superstar ego, though."

I shrugged. "I was born with that ego."

He pats my shoulder. "Good thing you know that, buddy." We laugh. He puts his hands in his pockets. "So why didn't Tachikawa-san go to school today?"

"I don't know either."

"Oh. Aren't you guys pretty tight?"

"No, we're the most awkward pair in our circle of friends."

"Really? Well, that's lucky."

"Lucky?"

"I mean, she's not your girlfriend, right?" He scratches his head. "She's kind of my type." Can't blame him. To be honest, she's not so hard to like.

"... Oh."

"You're okay with that, right?"

"With what?"

"With me... Being into her..."

"Why wouldn't I be?" I have to say it's pretty weird since Tokiya just met her.

"You two look really good together," We would? We do, don't we. "I don't know, I kind of figured if we wouldn't be fighting over music, we'd fight over a girl." He says.

I snicker. "Is that a joke?"

"Duh?" He starts to walk in the opposite direction. "Gotta go, Ishida. Say hi to Mimi for me."

"Bye." Wait a sec. Since when did he call her Mimi and not Tachikawa-san?

And wait. How can I even contact Mimi?

**Knowledge**

"What's up?" I greet him.

"You talk as if this is your office or something."

"It already is." I get another Pocky stick from my bag.

Yamato shakes his head in amusement and takes a seat beside me. "I'm gonna get straight to the point."

"Good. I like direct conversations rather than oblique ones."

"Can I have Mimi's email?"

I stare at him. _Crunch. Crunch._ After chewing on the wafer snack, I hand him my phone. "You can be so unbelievable sometimes, Yamato-san."

He handles the device. "You're not asking why I asked for it?"

"No. I'm more amazed about how you never exchanged email for the past six years you've known each other."

"I know her old one, but she changed it three years ago." That's amazing. _Three years ago._

"Wow, and she never gave it to you."

"I'm not her most special person... And besides, I never asked for it either." They're both to blame.

"You know that it's irritating how you two would be the bestest friends ever if you talked more?"

"We would?"

I refuse to elaborate on the subject he's so oblivious about. "So why are you going to call her?" I ask instead.

I see him smirk in the corner of my eye. "I don't know, Koushiro. Why do you have so much pictures of Mimi on your phone?" Shit. How long does it take to find someone's email address on a phone?

Calm down, Koushiro. "Because unlike you, I'm a good friend. And being a good friend, means you miss your friends. Also, it means respecting your friend's privacy. That also means not looking at the phone pictures."

"Uh-huh, right. _Friends_."

I roll my eyes. "Why'd you ask her email from me anyway? You could've asked Taichi-san or anyone else."

"I don't know if you noticed, but a while ago in lunch, he, Sora and Jyou were exchanging funny looks like they knew something was up."

"I noticed." I knew if we'd ask, they wouldn't tell us what they knew about Mimi. They're just those people who keep secrets really well, or at least lie to keep the secrets. Coincidentally, the three of them are the ones Mimi trusts the most among us. "Still, it's just an email address. You could've asked Takeru-kun for it." I'm pretty sure he knows his brother is best friends with Mimi.

"I can't. He'd tease me about it. He thinks the two of us were meant for each other."

I cover my mouth with my palm to hold back my laughter. "It's not funny." He says.

Both my hands were now on my mouth. "I didn't know you were the laughing type, Izumi."

I sigh, chuckling. "In contrary, I only laugh when something is really funny, Yamato-san... When did Takeru-kun say that?"

"When he discovered he had a crush on Mimi." This time, I couldn't hold back my laughter. "This is such a new side of you, Koushiro."

"I'm sorry, sorry. Lemme get this straight, he had a crush on Mimi and he thought you two should be together?"

"Pretty much."

"Ahh, you crack me up." I wipe my eye with a forefinger. "Wait, what about when you dated Sora-san?"

"He stopped when we started going out."

"And when you broke up?"

"_I told you Aniki, if you were with Mimi-oneechan instead, the relationship would've lasted longer._" He mimicked Takeru with a girl voice.

And I laughed again.

**Sincerity**

I lost count of how many times my phone rang today. Seven times? Forty-eight? Something along those lines.

_Ring_

The eighth or forty-ninth time. I cover my whole head with my pillow to avoid hearing the annoying digital sound. Get to voice message already.

_Hey there, Mimi's unavailable at the moment. Leave me a message and maybe I'll get back to you. If I don't, then that means I have no reason to talk to you. Bye!_

If it's _him_ again, I swear I'll go insane. Literally.

Mimi?

Is that who I think it is? I get up from the comfort of my bedsheets. How the hell did he get my email?

_Uh, hey it's Smirky. I have some news for you. I hope your okay._

I grip my hand on the receiver. Come on, breathe. Inhale. Exhale.

_English was really boring today. Your fault. Make it up to me._

"Hello?" Ouch. Shit, that hurts. I groan and clutch my chest.

"Mimi? A-Are you okay? You're crying."

I couldn't maintain my voice. "I-I'm so-sorry. I'm not okay." Inhale. Exhale. Come on.

"Why are you breathing so hard? Do you want me to call the ambulance?" His voice turned deeper and more serious.

"No, don't. Just g-give me a second." I lay my head on the edge of the bed, sitting on the floor. Another tear falls down. Another tissue. Once my lungs start seem to function properly, I put the phone on my ear again. "Hello?"

"Mimi, I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Yamato, you don't have to."

"..."

"Hello?"

"You didn't call me Yamato-kun."

I weakly smile. "You called yourself Smirky."

"Yeah, it's grown on me."

"You know the address?"

"I've walked you home, remember?"

"Oh, right." I feel dizzy and weak and I don't ever want to move. I slightly narrow my eyes.

"Hello? Mimi?"

"Hm." I want to minimalize my speaking.

"Want me to sing you a song?"

"..." I closed my eyes and relaxed.

"_Beauty queen of only sixteen, she had some trouble with herself, he was always there to help her, she always belonged to someone else_" (A/N: by Maroon 5, who _doesn't_ know this song?)

I try my hardest to harmonize with him. We sing, "_I drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door, I've had you so many times but somehow I want more; I don't mind spending every day_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain, look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile, and she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_Tap on my window, knock on my door, I want to make you feel beautiful_

_I know I tend to get so insecure, it doesn't matter anymore_

_It's not always rainbows and butterflies, it's compromise that moves us along, yeah_

_My heart is full and my door's always open, you come anytime you want, yeah_

_I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved_

_I know where you hide alone in your car, know all of the things that make you who you are_

_I know that goodbye means nothing at all, comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls, yeah_

_Tap on my window knock on my door, I want to make you feel beautiful_

_I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain, oh_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved, and she will be loved_

I sing in the background - _Please don't try so hard to say goodbye, please don't try so hard to say goodbye_

_Yeah, yeah._

_I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye_"

"That sounded good for a phone call." He says. "The door's locked."

"Oh, wait."

I come to face to face with him once I open the door. "You can hang up now."

"Right, sorry." I say, not noticing I still have the receiver pressed on my ear.

**Friendship**

She looks awful, yet she sang so good just a second ago. I raise my right hand to cup her left cheek. Her eyes are sore. Red and they looked like they've been rubbed repeatedly. Hair is uncombed, but strangely looks decent. Skin pale. She was wearing a gray hoodie and some pajamas. "Are you sick?" She nods. But her skin feels cold. I hug her. She's cold, and I wish I was warm enough

"You don't have a fever." I say, not feeling her body heat at all.

She sniffs and wipes her eyes. "It's not a fever." She starts to hiccup. We come inside her apartment. We sit in the couch. I rub her back as she starts to cry quietly. She finds it hard to look at me in the eye. I scooch closer and pull her to me. I notice scrunched tissues around the living room. "I'm sorry. The house is a mess. I'm a mess." She covers her face with both hands.

"There's nothing you should be sorry about," I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Tell me what's wrong, when you're ready."

"I'll never be ready."

"I'll never go away."

She rests her head on my shoulder, face down, murmuring something I can't comprehend. "... Disorder."

"What?"

"I have mild panic disorder." She speaks louder. I wrap my arms around her. She cries. I hold her tighter.

While I was making porridge for her, she tells me about her first panic attack when she was nine years old. The doctors didn't make a big deal about it. Her second seizure happened shortly after we defeated Apocalymon (A/N: season one), when she was informed about new Chosen Children, (A/N: season two) her parents told only Jyou, Taichi and Sora, the ones they can rely on if something happens.

Then it repeated in various situations abroad, thus the mild panic disorder. She wanted to pursue music, four years ago, her parents wouldn't let her. When the attacks stopped momentarily, she became a cheerleader in America. Then the panic attacks seemed to disappear permanently. She was diagnosed with asthma, something that occurs instead of the panic attacks. But then she experienced a seizure attack a year ago. Then another one today.

"Is there a specific factor that triggers the seizures?" I ask. "Like what causes the fear or nervousness?"

"I'm not sure if I should tell you."

"It's okay. I understand." The important thing is how she's feeling. I lay down the porridge in a tray, with a glass of water and an apple on the table in front of the couch. She smiles at me. She looks better now.

She gets the apple and examines it. "Two years ago, I started going out with Michael Barton."

"The blonde kid?"

She grins. "You're a blonde kid, too."

"The less handsome blonde kid?"

She laughs. "The American one."

"Yeah I know him."

"Last year I broke up with him."

"Good riddance." I say. She laughs again.

"You never even met him," She bites the apple. "Last year we broke up because he cheated on me." That's fucking horrible. What an ass.

I stare at her. "I always knew he wasn't a great guy," She smiles. "That's terrible. That's just disgusting. I'm sorry." If I could just punch him or something. What a disgrace to males everywhere.

"The panic attack last year, happened the night when I saw him kiss a girl. The night we broke up." She looks down, her tone bland. So it was because of him. "He doesn't know I have panic disorder." True, I never met him, but what he did was still so wrong, and now I hate him and I'd beat him up.

"He doesn't deserve your attention, Mimi." A guy who cheats is the worst kind.

"He called me at 3 am today, probably about 1 or 2 pm in New York," Another bite on the apple. "Thus a panic attack." I sit next to her, pulling out my guitar.

"I don't really know what to say, so how about I sing it instead?" I wink. I sing a song I got from Mixtape Monday, courtesy of Ishikawa Yutaka.

_Everybody deserves somebody, but girl nobody can love like I do._ -she throws me an odd look. I hope she doesn't misunderstand.

_You could be a super model, president or write a novel._

_But he's holding your back, and you're better than that. -_she giggles. Finally.

_He won't even buy you flowers, stay up late and talk for hours. _

_I think I can do that, I can be better than that._

_You should know…_

_Everybody deserves somebody, but girl nobody can love you like I do,_

_And I'm not perfect but you're so worth it, I wanna change the world for you,_

_So baby don't settle for less, you deserve the best,_

_You're better than the rest, and I can be the best,_

_So baby don´t settle for less. _(A/N: by Before You Exit, called Settle For Less.)

She gently claps and gestures to hug me. I hug back. "We call him Bitch."

I laugh. "What?"

"I don't say his name anymore. It's a codename." It suits him.

"Were there any nicknames?" I rest her head on my shoulder.

"As much as I hate remembering, he did call me a pretty good nickname." She says, arms around my waist.

"Really? What was it?"

"_Emi_." I hate to admit, but that's pretty cute. Better yet, it's shorter than her actual name. A real nickname. Damn him.

"And what did you call him?"

"I just called him Michael." She shrugged. I clicked my tongue in response. "What?"

"You call _everyone_ a nickname _except_ him?"

"He was my first boyfriend."

"How about before you dated? Did you call him a nickname?"

"No." I clicked my tongue again. "It's hard to make nicknames for American names."

"What a stupid excuse. Even I could make one for him. _Mikey_."

"Ew." She scrunches her nose. I laugh and grab the remote in front of us, turning the TV on. There was an ad about a new PC game that involved guns and zombies. "Kou-kun would love that." She comments.

"Speaking of which, did you know Koushiro likes you?"

She rolls her eyes at me. "You're just like everyone else."

I sit up. "I saw his phone. He has a lot of your pictures."

"That's because I send them to him."

"Yeah, but did you know he saves them all?"

She shrugs. "He just misses me." Is she being blind on purpose? That's amazing though, Koushiro said the same thing.

"Oh my God, Mimi."

"What?"

"Do you like him?"

"Who?"

"Koushiro."

"As a friend. Why is this a big deal?"

"Because. He. Likes. You."

"Yamato, if you really knew him, you wouldn't actually believe that."

"Everyone else believes it." Particularly Miyako, Sora and Taichi.

"Well, me and Koushiro think otherwise." She changes the channel.

"Fine. Be stubborn." I pout and cross my arms. She giggles. "For the last time, no joke, he likes you." The white telephone on our left suddenly rang. She stares at it. It rings the fourth time. She inhales heavily. I get up and put the receiver on my ear.

"Don't call." I say. I put the receiver down and sit beside her again, this time closer to the telephone. Which rings again. I pull its plug below the table.

She smiles at me. "You're a good friend, Smirky."

"I know." I feel a vibration on my pants. She giggles.

"So if it's not my phone, it's yours?" She says. I get my phone from my pocket.

Aniki? Why are you at Onee-chan's apartment? -Takeru

"Mimi,"

"Yes?"

"Does Takeru know you have panic disorder?"

"No. Only Jyou-senpai, Sunny and Choco."

"What should I tell him?"

She laughs again, leaning forward, clapping. "He was the one calling?" I hand her my phone.

"Text him an alibi or something."

"Aww, it's so cute he's worried for me." She says, while composing a message.

"What did you say?"

"_Hey, Takkun! It's Oneechan, your brother's just serenading me because I had a major headache this morning. Couldn't get out of bed_."

"Don't say that."

"Why not? It's not completely untrue." I hear the sent tone.

"He'll tease me."

"Why would he-"

"He thinks we'd make a cute couple."

"Oh. Look, he replied... _Omg are you okay? Why the sudden headache?_"

"... What'll you reply?"

"It's about this Math quiz, ask Koushiro. He'll know how it's such a pain. He tutored me and I barely passed."

"He'll never believe that."

"Yeah, but it'll stop him from asking more. You know, if he sees I'm desperate enough to make a stupid excuse like that, he'll think, _oh, it's probably private_, or something."

"What did you actually get on that quiz?"

"A 95. Kou-kun's a good tutor." She flops my phone on my lap.

"See? You always spend time with him."

"I do not. We're just closer because we're the same age."

"Suit yourself. What I'm saying is the truth. Hmph."

"You said you had news for me, a while ago during the phone call?"

"Oh yeah. The chorale. Aoyama-sensei wants you to be a mezzo-soprano."

"Wow."

"You don't sound enthusiastic about that."

"I'm panicky remember?"

"Speaking of which, why aren't your parents with you?"

"They didn't know I had a seizure. I just told them I wasn't feeling well enough for school."

"Why didn't you-"

"If they knew, they wouldn't let me join any clubs. Including the chorale. They'd tighten their grip."

"... So does that mean you'll be a mezzo-soprano?" I wonder if joining the chorale is important to her.

She tilts her head to look at me. "Sure."

"Yay."

"Yay."

"Did you know I used to be part of the chorale before we formed T.W.?" (A/N: Teenage Wolves.)

"No. Yay."

"Yay."

"I want to find out if I could cure myself. Yay."

"Yay. How about cheerleading?"

"I met Bitch because I was a cheerleader. He was a lifter."

"No to cheerleading, then. Yay."

"Yay." She crosses her legs and smiles. "Maybe Yay will be our always." I smile back.

"Yay?"

"Yay." Then we laugh.

**Hope**

"Look at the time." I say, while looking at the clock. 7:45 pm.

"Oh, you're here. Hi." Aniki says, taking off his shoes by the door.

"You were out for a looong time."

"You sound like a jealous housewife."

"Close. I'm a neglected brother."

"You are so not a neglected brother. People accuse me of being a brocon. Like Taichi."

"Who said you're my only sibling? I have 12 brothers and sisters." (A/N: referring to the Chos. Children)

"You have 12 siblings? I thought someone didn't count. Ahem,_hikari_,Ahem."

I roll my eyes. "Back to you and Mimi-oneechan..." I think Aniki's starting to like her.

"Speaking of which, were you aware Mimi dated Michael?"

"Yes. You weren't?" He shakes his head. "Were you aware they broke up on the same day you and Sora-san did?"

His eyes widened. "No. She didn't tell me that. What a coincidence."

"You two have a terrible friendship."

"I beg to differ. It's just undeveloped." Ugh. His poetic side is showing.

"That's so ironic because... Sincerity. And Friendship."

"Let's not forget I just came back from her apartment."

"Good. So you're dating now, right?"

"Takeru."

"Aniki."

"Don't be so naive."

"You just got home from serenading her and doing God-knows-what. Who's naive?"

"Doing God-knows-what?"

"Remember when I told you I had a crush on Mimi-oneechan?"

"Yeah, it's hard to forget."

"And to think, us three could have been a love triangle."

"Shut up. You're so delusional." He laughs.

"I prefer the term _imaginative_." He's not the only one gifted with a natural vocabulary. Our mom's a writer, after all.

"I just comforted her because she wasn't feeling well. We didn't plan it. It just happened."

I shrug. "There's still a lot of things you're keeping from me."

"Like what?"

"Break-up reason."

"I told you, it's between me and Sora only. Takeru, I thought you of all people would understand." _Me_, of all people? I'm his brother. We always knew everything about each other. I stay quiet for a moment. He puts his hand on my shoulder. "I'm assuming mom and dad aren't coming home anytime soon, since you're crashing here," I look up at him. He smiles. "Wanna go out for dinner?"

The next day

**Sincerity**

"Mornin'." I tap his shoulder. He was staring at the birds' nest outside the window again. It's like he has nothing to do in english except look at the sight or talk to me. The latter is preferable.

"Hey, you sound like yourself now. Jolly."

I scrunch my eyebrows. "Jolly?"

"Yeah. That could be your nickname."

"You're terrible at nicknames. Just stick with Mimi."

"Fine. Yay."

"Yay."

**Friendship**

I sit beside Jyou and in front of Taichi during lunch. Mimi sits on my left. "Why'd you skip school yesterday?" Jyou asks her.

"I had a major headache." She answered, while smiling goofily. Takeru makes a lound noise from his throat, turning everyone's heads. Ahem. I narrow my eyes at him.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Mimi." Sora spoke up. Mimi nods at her. I wonder why she or Taichi didn't bother to visit her yesterday. "Don't overdo yourself, 'kay?" Taichi winks.

"By the way, Choco, I think I'll pass on cheerleading this year." She says.

He flashed a worried face. "Why?"

"Because of Bitch." I say, while separating my green beans from my meat. I notice Sora's eyes widen. Mimi suddenly pinches my thigh. "Ow." I say and look at her. She glares back.

"Because of _who_?" Taichi interrupted.

"No one," Mimi argues. "I just got sick of it." She was gripping my knee under the table. I hesitantly continue eating.

**Sincerity**

Girls were throwing me annoyed glances. I stare daggers in response. Probably the Yamato groupies. "What's up?" He finally gets out of his last class.

"I just needed to tell you... Only you and Sou-chan know about Bitch."

"I'm flattered." He cocked a brow and smirked. I hear girls behind me whispering about his supposedly hotness. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.

"Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"You trust me enough for that?"

"I never stopped trusting you." That wasn't a lie. I hug him. He sighs, enveloping my shoulders.

"You stole the lyrics."

"Do you want them back?" I make eye-to-eye with him.

"No. I was just wondering where it went. I mean, no one else ever came to the band room before," he shrugs. "Except Sora and Taichi a few times. But why would they get it anyway."

"..."

"You got it when you auditioned, right?" (A/N: Ch 2)

"Yes." I tighten my grip on him.

"Can you promise me not to tell anyone what's written on it, too?"

"Yes," He fingers my hair. "Yamato..."

"Hm?"

"What you wrote on the note... Do you... Do you still feel that way?"

"No." He cups my cheek and gives me a reassuring smile. I smile back.

"Yay?"

"Yay." We break the hug.

"By the way, why didn't Sora and Taichi bother visiting you yesterday?"

"They probably thought if I did have a panic attack, my parents would be home. So I'd be okay... In which case my mom doesn't allow visitors, because I'd be embarassed if someone saw me during a seizure. They wouldn't know what to do."

"Why didn't you tell the other Children about Bitch?"

"As much as I hate him, I don't have the right to make people hate him. I mean, he didn't cheat on the Chosen Children."

"Dammit Mimi."

"What?"

"You're too fucking kind. The world needs to hate him."

I giggle and poke his nose. "You and Sora are enough."

"Wait, so why tell only me?"

I shrug. "You asked."

"And the others didn't?"

"They didn't ask why we broke up."

"They probably thought _you_ broke _his_ heart." He scratches his head, frustrated.

"I know."

"And you're okay with that?" I look down.

"I... It's okay." He wraps his arms around me. "Yay. A hug from Ishida freaking Yamato."

"Yay," I giggle. "Mimi."

"Yep?"

"I trust you too."


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: school's coming soon...

* * *

_Chapter 5: Hugs and Kisses_

**Sincerity**

"Ah! Here she is!" Aoyama-sensei gets up from her seat, high-spirited as ever. "Yamato told me you didn't go to school yesterday, you're feeling better?" I smile and nod at her. She's so nice.

"You'll be okay if I leave you here now?" Yamato asks.

I smirk in response. "I didn't ask you to come with me." It's not like I'm a child who needs someone to follow her around all day.

He pats my head. "I know. Well, I guess I'll talk to you later. I have band practice."

"Okay, thanks anyway for walking me here. Bye."

"Bye. See you around, Aoyama-sensei." And he walks out. Aoyama-sensei waves goodbye.

"Aww, he's so cute escorting you and all." She says, showing me to my seat beside the student judge during the auditions. I think Tokiya was his name. He gives me a small smile as I settle on the chair. "Mimi-chan, Tokiya-kun will be guiding you through your first days. Think of him as an alpha wolf."

"She used to call Yamato that." He whispers to me. I nod, smiling back. I also call him that sometimes. Like a codename. Yamato did mention he was in the chorale before being in the band.

The newbies introduce themselves one by one then we collectively do vocal stretching. When we're done, I hear some female voices talking about me. _That's the girl Yamato-kun's so close with. Eh? I heard he even spent the night in her apartment. I hear she's rich. What? Are they dating? No way!_ I roll my eyes. Rumors do spread fast. They're not worth wasting a breath, anyway. Backstabbing girls.

"Hey Tachikawa-san, is it true Yamato visited you at home yesterday?" Tokiya says rather loudly.

I cock a brow. "Yeeeaaah," he gives me a knowing look. "... But he didn't stay the night." I say.

"Ohhh. I understand." He winks. I smile at him.

"You can call me Mimi."

"Then I assume you'll call me Tokiya." He says.

"_Toki-kun_. I like nicknaming."

He chuckles, his green eyes getting smaller, and his dimples showing.

**Courage**

Finally, coach Yamazuki gave as a water break. As soon as I start walking to the bench, "Choco!" I feel two arms enveloping my neck. I laugh.

"I'm warning you, I'm all sweaty."

"Do you ever stop working out?"

"I don't know. Do you ever stop being overly attached?"

"Touché." She pokes my chest and giggles.

"You seem in a good mood."

"I am. Today's my first day as a part of the Odaiba High Chorale."

"That's great, have you made new friends?"

"Toki-kun." She says, in a higher pitched voice.

"Toki-kun... Hori Tokiya?" I'm always the best in deciphering Mimi's nicknames. She nods. "You know, he's one of the guys in school girls swoon over."

"Really? He seems kind."

"I guess I should expect that since you're one of the girls in school guys swoon over."

"Hey, you're famous here, too. You just keep denying it."

I shake my head. "Even if I was famous, I wouldn't know what I'd be known for."

She shrugs. "Soccer."

"How many are we in the team? 15? Most are better looking than me."

"Aww, it's cute how you don't know puberty did good to you... _You don't know you're beautiful, that's what makes you beautiful._" What? Why'd she start singing all of a sudden?

I laugh. "Why OneDirection?" I don't mind, but I didn't expect her to be into them, much.

"I don't know, why not? Yamato's band listen to them."

"Since when have you been doing that?"

"Doing what? Listening to 1D?"

"You don't call Yamato as Yamato-_kun_ anymore. Just his first name."

"... Oh you're right. I just realized."

"I can't say I didn't see this coming."

"Huh?"

"I knew you two would be so close if you talked more."

"Why does everybody keep saying that?"

"Because it's true. It's the first time you didn't call someone a nickname or even just adding an honorific."

"Michael."

"Michael was your boyfriend. So it's natural he got special treatment," I cross my arms. "Unless I'm missing something, Yamato's not a love interest."

"Yes, and it will stay that way forever."

"Wanna bet?" She smacks me lightly on the head.

"Dude, don't you know the bro-code? Never date a bro's ex. In which case, Sora's my bro, and the ex is Yamato."

"See? You call him Yamato. No girl has ever done that before."

"Sora-"

"She was his girlfriend."

"..." She pouts. I think she doesn't want to to back to calling him with an honorific.

"I'm giving it a year. Or less."

"You're giving what a year or less?"

"I'm giving _mimato_ a year or less to become lovers."

"Oh my God, you did not just give me and Yamato a ship name."

"Oh yes I did. And now the ship sails." Mimato is such a cute ship name.

"I hate you."

"Oh, but you love me." I hug her, the usual Mimi hug, feet off the floor, arms on waist, laughter, of course.

"Haha, put me down you monster!" I twirl her around before putting her down. She giggles and hugs me again, anyway. I pat her head.

**Love**

Does Mimi like Taichi? Maybe the other way around? "Um, hey guys. I just came back from tennis."

"Hi Sora!" They say in unison, breaking the hug.

"Jinx, you owe me ice cream." Taichi says, poking Mimi. She mutters _I hate you_.

"Yagami! Get your ass back here, captain!"

"Coming, coach! Gotta go guys, bye!" He says, running back to the soccer field.

I turn to Mimi and put a hand on her shoulder. "So how are you? We didn't get a chance to talk during lunch..."

She giggles. "I'm fine, Sou-chan." She says in a gentle tone.

"What was that hug?"

"Huh?"

"You and Taichi were hugging a while ago."

"Oh, I was just being clingy. Dammit, I smell like sweat now, don't I."

Clingy? "No... I was just wondering."

"Are you... Jealous?"

"No..."

"Oh, well I'm in a good mood, so..."

"Do you... Like him?"

"No... Do you?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Well, if you do, you'd tell me first, right?"

"Psh. That will never happen."

"I don't know, you two hugged pretty tight. Almost like a couple."

"Almost, but not quite."

"So you _do_ have a crush on him."

"No. I don't. Why do you keep on insisting?"

"You asked me if Taichi was still single before the start of school."

"I asked you because I'm skeptical as to why _you_ didn't make a move yet."

"I don't like him!"

"Please. It's useless denying it," She crosses her arms. "Everyone knows you've been infatuated with him since we were eleven."

"Well, I wasn't the one who was doing PDA with him just a second ago!"

"You even broke up with Yamato because you know you like someone else!" She covers her mouth, realizing what she said.

"... You don't know anything."

"That's because you never tell me anything." Her voice trembles. She walks away past me, bumping my shoulder.

**Friendship**

"My hands feel so sore..." Akira complains.

"How come you don't whine like that during concerts? We've been playing for only two hours." I scold him.

"We have intermissions during concerts. We've been playing non-stop today."

"Yeah. No rush, Yamato." Takashi pats my back. "Let's take five, guys."

"We just need to get this song right." I say, wiping my sweat off my forehead.

"It's not even finished yet." Yutaka says, referring to _Guts_. He sits down on a stool.

"I know, but it needs to be flawless. It's our next single." I rest Takari on a wall. Someone knocks at the door.

"Are those the fans, again?" Akira says, opening a bottle of water. "I thought we put up a sign." _WE ARE SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS/TAKING PICTURES AS OF THE MOMENT. PLS DO NOT DISTURB._ Yutaka made it, just two days ago. Another knock again. I press my ear to the door to listen to whoever's on the other side. I hear a sniffing high pitched voice.

"Why are you crying?" I open the door to hug her. She instantly crashes to me, nuzzling her head on my chest. I lock the door closed.

"It's Mimi-chan! uh, what's up..?" Akira stands up, not knowing how to handle a crying girl, more importantly, a crying Mimi. I sit Mimi in our couch and rub her back. She was crying gently, unlike yesterday, which was worse. Now she kept her eyes open and rubbed it less.

"We fought." She tugs on my sleeve.

"You and?"

"Sou-chan." I sit beside her. "I'm sorry... I don't know where else to go..."

"It's okay, Mimi-chan, we don't mind. If it makes you feel better when you're around us, we're here for you." Yutaka and the others crowd around us.

"Don't cry, it'll be okay, you two are tight." I say wiping her eyes with my hanky. Unlike men who handle things with fists, girls cry over fights. "Was it serious?"

She leans closer to me, whispering, "We fought about Chi-chan."

"Who's Chi-chan?" Takashi asks.

"No one. Ssh." I answer him. "What happened?" I ask Mimi.

"She thought I liked him. And then I told her she liked him, then she denied it... And then we fought."

"She'll forgive you... Better yet, she'll say sorry. Don't worry too much about it, okay?" She nods as I wrap my arms around her.

"I... I said something harsh."

"Like what?" I keep my voice soft and whisper-like.

"I said she broke up with you because she likes Choco."

"... It's true anyway." Except _I_ broke up with _her_.

"What? Who the hell is Choco?" Akira interrupts. I glare at him.

"I'm sorry. She might find out that I know the reason of the break-up." Mimi says, looking down.

"Don't sweat it. Just make sure no one else finds out, okay?" I caress the back of her head.

"Mmkay." She raises her legs on the couch and lays her head on my shoulder. I put an arm on hers.

"You sure you two aren't an item?" Takashi asks.

"Actually we've been dating for six months." I say. Mimi giggles.

"What?!" Akira gapes. Yutaka's eyes widen. Takashi shakes his head in amusement.

"And we have a baby at home, too. That's why Yamato visited me yesterday." She comments.

"We're secretly married." I joke. Akira calms down and sighs. Yutaka and Takashi laugh.

"At first glance, you wouldn't be able to tell if those were lies." Yutaka comments.

Mimi gets something from her pocket. It's the stolen notebook page. She hands it to me. "I don't mind if you kept it." I say.

"I shouldn't." She replies. I take the worn out piece of paper and read it again.

_Yamato's notes about his feelings which are dumb_

_Melancholy- Every rock singer has written a song dedicated to past relationships. I'm planning to break up with my first love/girlfriend on our anniversary... Because that just makes it more dramatic. And I just can't take the hurt anymore. _

_Dec 24th - Christmas eve. We hold a winter concert in Odaiba Stadium anually on this day. Our anniversary. Our break up. The day she dumped him for me._

_Him - my best friend. The reason. Superman. Her Peter Pan. Not me. I hate him for being loved by her. I wish I was him. I'm jealous that his smiles lighten up her world, compared to my ice cold stare. I'm jealous I couldn't play soccer. I'm jealous because he's the sun, her sun. I'm jealous because she acts like herself when she's with him, and puts up a wall when it comes to everyone else. I'm jealous of him. I want to be him. I couldn't tell anyone. No one. I hate myself for thinking this. He's perfect. And I'm the least suitable for her. _

_Her- my first love. The Wendy of Somewhere In Neverland. Someone I need to let go of because she isn't supposed to be with me._

_The breakup song- Entitled, Just The Way I'm Not. Will be released on Dec 24th, this year's winter concert. Chorus; Never seem to please you; don't you ever let me go; I know your heart is shut; don't you know; nothing's gonna change us; all because I like you just the way you aren't; and you like me just the way I'm not._

"What's that?" Akira leans closer to glimpse on the paper. I stuff it in my guitar case.

"Mimi, do you want to listen to the song?" I ask her.

"The breakup song?"

"Yep. You weren't here when we released it last december." I stand up.

"Okay." She settles on the couch. "Blow me away."

"What? She hasn't heard _Just The Way I'm Not_? It's our most amazing song so far." Yutaka comments, grabbing his black guitar. And the Teenage Wolves start setting up. Akira, the drummer, counts 1, 2... 1,2,3 (A/N: the song is really sung by All Time Low)

_Oh, woah, (hey), oh woah, (hey) -Yutaka's my backing vocals_

_Can I pick you up for another night on the north shore? Do you even want to see my face again _

_I'm a waste of chances, full of band romances; your favorite enemy and your most hated friend_

_When it hurts, it hurts; you wonder if it's worth it; when it works, it works; and when it's broke it's perfect_

_[Chorus] Woah oh, never seem to please you, no; don't you ever let me go-oh; I know your heart is shut, shut, shut -Mimi sits straight and looks at me, looking for signs of hurt. My hurt ran out a year ago. _

_Don't you know-oh; nothing's gonna change us-oh; all because I like you just the way you aren't; and you like me just the way I'm not; oh, oh, oh woah, (baby you like me just the way I'm not) -Mimi grins and claps lightly. I like how her hazel eyes glimmer when she smiles like that. Like she's proud and you'd want to hug her right away._

_[2nd verse] You have a classic case of foolish, young and in-love; but you don't even know what love could do to us; we are brash and reckless, made of glass and careless, we break upon the moment we both feel too much _

_'Cause when it hurts, it hurts; you wonder if it's worth it; when it works, it works; when it's broke it's perfect_

_[Repeat Chorus]_

_[Bridge] Opposites distract, we fall between the cracks, forget about each other 'till we get each other back, 3x_

_[Repeat Chorus 2x] (can I pick you up for another night on the north shore)_

_Oh woah, oh woah_

Once the song stops she stands up and embraces me, arms on my neck. "I'm sorry." She whispers. I chuckle.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything."

"I wish I was there for you."

"It can't be helped. We weren't really friends back then."

"For the past six years, you mean."

"Yeah." I let out a short laugh.

"Can we be friends now?"

"We already are... I mean, we've been friends for nearly a decade, but yeah, I know what you mean."

"Yay."

"Yay."

"Walk you home?"

"Yes please."

"Shit, cuteness overload." Yutaka comments. We break the hug.

"More like PDA overload." Takashi says, his hands on his hips. Akira was just narrowing his eyes at me, staring suspiciously.

"Let's fix the equipment, the sun's going down." I say, disconnecting Takari to the amplifier.

**Hope**

"Takeru-kun, look."

"Where?" I raise my head from the drinking fountain. Hikari points to the Tree near the school gate.

"Are those Yamato-oniisan and Mimi-san?"

"Why... Why are they together?"

"It looks like they're going home together."

"... Stupid Aniki."

"What was that?"

"Uh, nothing. Let's go back to the gym. You know how my coach is." She nods and gets her pompoms from the bench.

**Friendship**

"I'm home!" I call out. I wonder if dad's here already.

"Yamato. Had band practice?" There he is on the sofa, watching a famous sitcom, with the remote on his palm. His TV station probably aired it.

"Yep." I say, while taking my shoes off and laying Takari on the rack by the living room.

"You're mom called, she made those chocolate fudge cookies. She's going to come over with Takeru to bring them. They'll probably have dinner too." What's the occasion?

"Oh? Why? You miss her cookies?" I smirk.

"Heh, I thought those cookies were your favorite. She said she rarely makes them these days, so..." I remember how the marshmallows from the cookies always got stuck on Takeru's shirt. Mom would scold him for messily eating, but she'd wipe him anyway.

"I see. Should I cook dinner or just wait for her to come over and she'll cook?"

"Let's wait for them." He says.

I pursed my lips and smiled. I walk to my room and escape the clutches of my school uniform. At least the coat, I'm too tired to take off my button down shirt and pants. I grab my phone and decide to text her.

_Mom and Takeru's coming over for dinner! Yay :)))_

She replied after a few seconds._ (OvO)That's great! Have fun! Yay! x _-_Tachikawa Mimi_

I'm pretty sure a 'x' in a text means a hug. We hugged a lot today. Actually, I noticed me and her hug a lot, generally. And that's alright. Hugging Mimi feels good. So I sent her an 'x' too.

**Hope**

Mom made pork curry for dinner. Unlike Aniki's death curry, hers is heavenly. I wonder what made her make the choco fudge cookies. The last time I remember was about three, four years ago? I scoop another cup of rice. Aniki laughs.

"Easy there, Takeru. You just lost carbs in basketball practice a while ago." He says, as mom and dad chuckle. That didn't stop me, though. I get another meat cut from the big plate.

"So... I saw you and oneechan-"

"I walked her home." Aniki cuts me off before I could finish.

"Oneechan? Mimi Tachikawa?" Mom asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Yep! The one that played with me all the time when I first went to the digital world, remember?" I love telling stories to Mom. She practically knows every second of my life. That kind of sounds like I'm a mama's boy, which I'm not. I just love her very, very much.

"The rich one? Yamato told me she was a spoiled brat." Dad says.

I didn't know Aniki says stuff like those about her. I shrug. "Was."

"You like her, Yamato?" -Mom

"What? As if." -Aniki

"You usually don't walk a random girl home." -Dad

"She's not a random girl. Me and Takeru have known her for six years." Something vibrated the table. Aniki clutches his phone. "Mom, what does 'x' mean in xoxo?" He asks.

"Xoxo means hugs and kisses. X means kiss."

"Shi-damn." He says. I try to hold back my laugh.

"Watch your language." Dad comments.

"How do you not know what 'x' means?" I say to him.

"I'm not the texting type." He types on the device furiously.

"Wait a sec. Who are you texting? Xoxo?"

"No one."

I gasp. "It's oneechan, isn't it?!"

"Calm down."

"I knew it. I knew you'd be all lovey-dovey."

He knits his eyebrows together. "I don't _do_ lovey-dovey."

"Are you going out with her?" -Mom

"No."

"I'll give them five months to hook up." Dad says, nudging me.

"I'll give them three months." I say.

"Stop it you two." Mom says. Aniki smiles at her.

"I knew you'd understand." He says, holding her hand.

She smiles back and turns back to me and dad. "That's too fast for a boy and girl. I'll give them a year." Aniki rests his head on his palm. Me, mom and dad laugh.

After dinner, I laid on Aniki's bed on my stomach while dad helped mom clean up. He was changing his clothes. "Do you know why I think you and oneechan should be together?"

"Not this again." He smirks.

"Do you know?"

"Because we look good together and we both like music."

"Not only that... You're both really nice but sometimes fail to show it. Like you have outer shells. Hers is thinner."

"She has an outer shell?"

"The mannequin type. Yours is the bad boy type." He cocks a brow at me. "The colors."

"Colors?"

"Sincerity and Friendship. Blue and green."

"That's so unrealistic of you."

"And your traits... You're serious but caring and she's materialistic but considerate. Polar opposites yet so similar at the same time."

"..." I can tell he's thinking about what I said.

"I mean, you can't have sincerity and friendship without the other. Like what kind of friendship would it be without being sincere? And how could you be sincere to someone who isn't a friend?"

"You're overanalyzing this."

"Also, you're my brother and she's my sister. Doesn't that make things easier?"

Thursday, Teenage Wolves Band Meeting

**Sincerity**

"What kind of person isn't familiar with xoxo?"

"Me." He had Takari on his lap, tuning him. Funny how he treats it like his child or something.

"Where have you been for the past century?"

"I don't know, okay!" He laughs. "What kind of person sends a kiss? I mean, you could've sent a hug."

"That's because no one sends hugs digitally. What kind of message would it be if you added an 'o' at the end? X is cuter."

"This is such a stupid argument." He grins, shaking his head.

"You need to text more. Text me when you have the time."

"I know. That's what I did last night."

"Besides, we could do a hug in real life."

"Oh? A kiss is also doable in real life." I smack him on the arm. He laughs. "What was that for?"

"Stop that." I giggle.

"Stop what?! You're the one abusing me." He grips my hand.

"You're being a playboy."

"I am not being a playboy. I'm flirting."

"Then stop flirting, God." He laughs again and grips my other hand and kisses both. When he lets go I squeeze his cheeks with my palms. "Ew, Yamato cooties!" I giggle. Then wipe my hands on his shirt.

"Wow, and you tell us you aren't dating." Yutaka drops his bag beside the mini-stage, where they practice all the time. About time they came. We were waiting for fifteen minutes.

"I know! She's so persistent on chasing me." Yamato says, flicking my arms away. I playfully glare at him.

"You're such a narcissist." I retort.

"Yeah, it's not like she only came here for you, Yamato." Akira walks in, drumsticks visible from his pocket. He winks at me.

"God, I hate PDA." Takashi mutters, walking to a chair. It's ironic because he's the only one with a girlfriend, I recall. Yamato slaps Takashi's butt before he could sit down and laughs. Takashi threw his bag on Yamato. I snicker.

I stand on the mini-stage. "There was a reason why I came here." I announce to them, now all seated.

"You mean besides flirting with Yamato?" -Yutaka

"First of all, he flirted with me. Second, I've been listening to the audio file of Guts repeatedly... And... I kind of... Finished it."

"WHAT?!" All four shouted. Except Yamato. He said, "YAY!"

"Yay!" I cheered, grinning at the gaping faces. "So... Should I sing it?"

"... Yeah. Here. A mic." Takashi assembles the mic to its stand. Akira adjusts the stereo to play the corresponding background music. I lock eyes with Yamato, who was leaning forward in his seat.

_Shooting for the stars, desperately reaching,_

_For something in the dark, pictures of memories,_

_Buried in my heart, lie awake and dream of,_

_The endless possibilities, catch my breath and go for it,_

_Take apart, everything that's holding me down_

_Make a point to pick a new direction, to make a new connection,_

_Is this what it feels like? Finding out_

_That I've got the guts to say anything_

_Feels like, breaking out_

_When I can give up my reputation, finally, I can see_

_Honestly, I've got the guts to say anything_

_Bold enough to fall, flat on my face_

_But I walk as they crawl, slowing down_

_It's such a waste of time to let go_

_Tapping my fingers, to the rhythm of a metronome_

_Counting opportunities_

_Take apart, the gravity that's holding me down_

_Make a point, to find a resolution, to be my own solution_

_Is this what it feels like? Finding out,_

_That I've got the guts to say anything, _

_Feels like, breaking out_

_When I can give up my reputation, finally, I can see_

_Honestly, I've got the guts to say anything_ -the background music then stops. Because that's all they composed. I grab the acoustic guitar beside the drum kit and continue playing and singing the supposedly bridge of the song.

_Let me go down, let me go, let me go, down alone, let me go down, just let me go down, _

_if I'm gonna go down then just let me go, let me go, down let me go down, just let me go, let me go!_ -i sort of shout at this part. Then a guitar solo! Haha. It would sound better in an electric guitar.

_Feels like, finding out that I've got the guts to say anything_

_Feels like, breaking out when I can give up my reputation, finally, I can see_

_Honestly I've got the guts to say anything_

_Finally, I can see, honestly, I've got the guts to say anything_

I bow, putting down the acoustic guitar. They clap. Akira cheers, raising his arms. "That was incredible." Yamato says. "We couldn't even draft a tone of the fucking bridge."

"Thanks. Ever since I first listened to it, I thought the background should give more impact."

Akira claps his hands once. "I just had a crazy idea."

"He's the crazy scientist of the band." Yutaka says.

"Mimi should sing with us." Akira stands up and puts a hand on my shoulder.

Yamato immediately joins him beside me. "I agree." He slaps Akira's hand away on my skin.

"All in favor Tachikawa Mimi to be the backing vocals in the song Guts, say I." Yutaka suggested, raising his right hand.

"I." All of them also raised their right hand.

"Woah, woah, woah. I didn't agree to this." I say. Yamato hooks his arm to mine and walk us into a corner.

"Mimi, you're voice is perfect. We need you." He says, gripping both my shoulders.

"I know and I want to. But you know I can't."

"What if... What if I help cure you?"

"If you can cure me, then I will. I want to sing with you, Yamato." If I'm cured, that means I can perform live with him.

"Yes! Guys! She said yes! On one condition. We don't release it right away."

"Got it." Takashi walks over to us. "Now group hug me." He stretches his arms wide, which are unmistakably long, and all five of us hug.

Yamato kisses me on the forehead.

Yamato kisses me on the forehead.

Yamato kisses me on the forehead.

That was all that was on my mind.

"Dafuc!" I playfully punch him on the back. I hit him with his bag. He laughs, saying, "I told you I know what xoxo means!"

"Playboy!"

"Is that a new nickname?" He says, trying to run away.

* * *

A/N: is it obvious I'm rushing? Please review! I need to get at least ten to update again :-)


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: updated because I don't want you guys to think this story is one of those 'Hiatus' 'incomplete' or 'forgotten' fics. I want moar reviews please ^^ xo

* * *

_Chapter 6: Obstacles_

Friday, Recess

**Love**

"Can we talk?" Some girls around his seat glare at me.

"Sure." He drops the acoustic guitar and follows me outside the room. I hate it when students look at us like that. Eyes wide, mouth open, whispering to each other. I stop walking in an empty hallway.

"Did you tell Mimi?"

"I'm gonna be honest, yes I did."

"I thought it was between us only."

"She deserves to know. She's your best friend."

I know that. She's my best friend. Not yours. "I could've told her myself."

"Then why didn't you?"

I don't know, why'd you tell her? "I wasn't ready."

"But I was. So I told her."

"You don't get it. Those were my feelings, Yamato."

"They were my feelings too. I mean, I know it mostly involved you and him but I told her about how I felt too."

"..." I sigh and glance at his fisted hands. Still. Of all people, Mimi. I didn't even know they were close enough for him to open up to her.

"Are you going to apologize to Mimi?"

"If she talks to me."

"She cried yesterday."

"What?"

**Courage**

"You've got some guts to run as a junior." The secretary crossed her arms.

"Yeah I get that a lot." I scratch the back of my head. Duh, bearer of Courage,

"It's amazing you managed to get approved."

I couldn't believe it either. "I know! The teachers actually hate me, and I think they only accepted me to watch me fail."

"You don't look like a failing type." She smirks.

I chuckle. "Thank you."

"Prove them wrong, alright?" She pats my back. "Go to the room on your right."

I nod and follow her direction. I gulp when I see just seniors inside. They look at me then at each other. Some were laughing, some were just shocked. I take a seat on the corner near the door. It's going to be okay. Stay positive. I shift in my seat when the door creaks, revealing a slightly bald man with double chins as he smiles and large square glasses that look like their about to fall off his nose. Principal Shiroyuki. He widens his eyes and pursed his lips, seeing me. I goofily grin at him. He walks to the podium in front of us, poking the mic.

"Ah, my dear candidates," I sense a boring speech coming. "Every year the faculty board allows qualified, trustworthy and wise students to step up and join the Student Council. President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and one representative for each year level...

Friday, 4:28 pm

**Sincerity**

_Never mind I'll find someone like you, oh_ -"Kazuki, a lower note please."

_I wish nothing but the best, for you, too_ -"Haruka, prolong your voice."

_Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you said_ -"Shizuku, I can hear your voice crackling."

_Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah_ -"Mitsuru, don't slur."

_Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead_ -"Shinji, why'd you change pitches? You were doing fine... Okay, that's enough guys." Aoyama-sensei sighs and puts down her waving stick. The one that conducters use to harmonize an orchestra. She's really nice, but when it comes to music, I didn't know she was such a perfectionist. "We need more harmony." She says. So far she's been reprimanding only the newbies, and I'm glad I was singing good enough for my name not to be mentioned. It was more intimidating by how she calls everyone by their first names. We've sang songs by _Adele_ in the past hour. "A lot of the newcomers need to improve on how they sing with multiple voices. Consistency, patience, and making sure the sound you make isn't too overbearing." She smiles, wrinkling her brown eyes. "But this session turned out well. You're dismissed." She turns her attention to the paperwork on her desk. The chorale members shuffle out of their seats to exit the room. I put on my backpack and head the door. Someone stopped me walking by putting their hand on my forehead.

"Hey." Cue the girls giggling and/or glaring at me.

"Hi." I remove his hand from my face. I continue walking in the hallway with him beside me.

"So I talked to Sora." He says.

"You did?"

He shrugs. "More like she talked to me, so"

"What did she say?"

He rests his arm on my shoulder. "She assumed that I told you about our breakup... So I told her that I did."

"What?!"

"I told her that I told you. I mean, that's what happened, right?"

"No... I stole your note and accidentally found about it..."

"I'd rather not she, or anyone, know about the note."

"I see. And how'd she react?"

"She said she'll talk to you if you let her."

"It was kind of my fault."

"It was hers too."

"Still." I pout.

He shakes his head smirking. "Do you want to get ice cream?"

"Sure. If you can't guess my favorite flavour, you'll have to treat me."

"Fine. I'm betting it isn't strawberry because you're not stereotypical."

"Ew." I don't hate strawberry, I just like its color more than its taste.

"Heh. You don't seem like the chocolate type either."

"Meh."

"Vanilla?"

"Wrong. But close. Cookies and Cream. What's yours?"

"Vanilla. I was hoping we'd have the same taste."

**Friendship**

"So what's Michael's favorite flavor?" I recieve our tray from the counter.

"Pistachio. Which is kind of gross, for my taste." We sit in a velvet couch in a corner of the restaurant, facing each other.

"I never tried pistachio before," She gives me a look of disbelief. "The first time I saw my dad eat the flavor I thought he was eating a scoop of wasabi which made my stomach churn."

She giggles, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I like the color green, but not in ice cream. I mean green and sweet things just don't go together."

I laugh. "Green is your crest color." She nods, getting her cup from the tray, while I bite into my waffle cone, with two scoops of my flavour.

"I know." She digs into her Cookies and Cream with her spoon.

"It's my favorite color too." She cocks a brow.

"No it's not."

I chuckle. "Yes, it is. Mom didn't like blue for me and Takeru, she said it looked tacky since our eyes were already the color of the ocean. So she always dressed us up in green. We grew up with the color."

"Oh." She suddenly avoids my eyes and shifts in her seat.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," I kick her feet under the table. She looks down. "I was just wondering if you miss your mom."

"Of course I do. It's no secret. After she left, I slowly stopped wearing green. Not intentionally, though... It felt like losing a really big part of me."

"I'm sorry. I'm so insensitive."

"Don't be. I don't mind answering those kind of questions." I try my best to smile tenderly at her.

"So... Do you still remember what Sora's favorite flavour is?" She grins playfully, changing the subject.

"It's impossible to forget. It's Taichi's favorite too." Chocolate chip.

She frowns and covers her face with both hands and groans. "I'm so dumb. I'm sorry to bring it up."

I snicker in amusement. "You don't have to be sorry. It's just an ice cream flavour. I have to admit, it's kind of cute because they've been eating the same flavour together for more than six years."

"I'm really sorry." She fiddles with her fingers.

"You didn't do anything. Don't mention it." She gazes into my eyes.

"You're a nice guy, Yamato."

"Not really. I wrote a hateful note about my best friend, whom everyone loves, because I was jealous of him and sang a breakup song about how my relationship with Sora went rough because he was a distraction."

"It's because your heart was broken."

"It's also because I'm not nice," I wipe my mouth with a napkin. "What about you? What did you do from your broken heart?"

"The best I could. Ignore and backstab him." If you ask me, stuff like that will probably encourage him to hurt more people.

"Which one of us is nicer again?"

She rolls her eyes. "I'm not the aggressive type when my heart breaks. I'm more of the emotional and crying type." I wonder who else comforted her besides Sora.

"Mimi, I wish I could've helped you get through your breakup too."

She smiles. "It's okay. Calling Sora always made me feel better. I mean, at least I could tell someone, you know. You kept your feelings to yourself. You made them think you were okay but you really weren't."

I shrug. "No one really cared. I mean, if they ask, I tell them I'm okay, and they'd believe me. That was it. No one bothered to ask again. Except Takeru and Taichi. But duh, how could I tell them? Takeru's best friends with Hikari, his potential wife and the sister of you-know-who, and Taichi... Well, that's pretty much self-explanatory," She stands up and sits next to me, our thighs and arms touching. I laugh. "I'm not suicidal."

"I know. But you get hurt too."

"I'm not hurt now."

"I'm making it up to you."

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

"... I heard you broke up with Michael on Christmas Eve."

"Yup. Like you and Sora." I nod.

**Courage**

I was determined to leave when Principal Shiroyuki gripped my shoulder. "Yagami-san, can we talk?"

Why do you want to talk to me? "Uh, okay."

"So what made you decide to participate as a candidate?"

"I wanted to see if I could do it." Actually, my dad wanted to see if I could do it.

"We're not treating this event as a joke, Taichi. I didn't approve you to fool around."

"I know tha- _You_ approved me?"

"I personally looked into your papers. Yes. I did. I wanted to see what would happen if I let a sophomore, more importantly, a Chosen Child run the school."

"You... You want me to win?"

"No. I just don't want you to lose because of lack of effort. I know of your abilities, Yagami. I'd appreciate if you'd do your best all the way." He pats my back. "Well, I guess I'll see you around." He walks out of the room. I realize I was the last one inside. Except for a girl behind me.

"Hi." She says, blushing, a hand waving and another one behind her.

"Hey," I wave back. She was wearing a blue necktie. She's a bit short for a third year. The top of her head is eye to eye with my lips. Dark brown eyes and short hair in the shade of mahogany. Seems like she's hiding behind her long straight bangs, fidgeting. "Senpai, do you need anything?"

"Uh, no... Um, you're... You're Yagami Taichi, right?"

**Friendship**

After eating, we went to the park for a walk. "I have a question." I say, while she was staring at the ducks on the pond.

"Feel free." She replies, stepping on the brick stones beside a grass boundary.

"Why'd you order your ice cream in a cup? Not a cone?" I just had this gut feeling she's the type that likes sweeter things.

She laughs. I knew it was a dumb question. "I just felt like it," That's what I thought. "Well actually, Michael and I used to share those huge waffle cones... So..."

"Sorry."

Then she suddenly laughs louder. "I'm joking! I'm on a diet so I laid off the extra sugar."

"Oh... What? You? On a diet?"

"I didn't join in any sports this year. I don't plan to."

"Yeah, but if anything, you look underweight."

"You sure know how to flatter a girl, huh Mr. Playboy." She crosses her arms.

"Seriously, you look as thin as Miyako, and that's not right since she's younger than you." She sticks her tongue out to me then walks to a flower bed. "Did Michael used to get you those?" I ask, pointing to the daffodils she crouched to.

She shakes her head. "Nah, he gives me white or light pink roses. Typical," She says, while caressing the flowers gently. "He never really treated me specially." I sit on the grass beside her, making sure no flowers were on the way.

"Can I ask you what made you like him?"

She smiles. "One thing I'm sure of, I didn't love him." She sits on the grass, folding her legs. "Even I'm not sure what love is."

"It's an unexplainable feeling." I say. "You'll know it when you feel it."

"That's so... Yamato-ish of you." She giggles. "Truthfully, I forgot why I started to like him."

I chuckle. I'm relieved she forgot. "That's the difference between love and like. You could forget how you came to like someone, but if you love them, you never forget the things that made you feel that way."

"Did you love my best friend?" She plucks a tulip from the ground.

"I did." I answer as she tucks the flower behind my ear and laughs.

"It suits you, Yamato."

"Thanks. So what's your favorite flower?"

"Peonies. Do you have a favorite flower?"

"Hmm, how about Lilymon?" She laughs, clutching her stomach. "What? Don't you think she's the prettiest flower of all?" I argue.

"I didn't know you had a funny side."

"Meh. I'm only funny when I want to be."

"Oh? Then why do you want to be funny when you're with me?"

I shrug. "Doesn't everyone want to make you laugh?"

**Hope**

I open the door. "Were you with oneechan today?"

"No." He hands me back the container mom put the cookies in when we gave it to them.

I wish he'd stop denying it. "Ugh. It's so obvious." I roll my eyes.

"What?! Takeru, stop being this way." He smirks.

"Then stop showing hints!"

"What hints?!" He laughs.

"There's a plant on your damn ear." Flowers and pink. Those are enough hints.

Saturday, 9:23 am, morning shift

**Love**

_Ding_. I look up from the cash register. "Oh, it's only you."

"Ouch. You're supposed to say, welcome to the Takenouchi Flower shop! How may I help you?" He rests his hands on the desk. I roll my eyes and tend the orchids by the glass door. "I come here to see you and you ignore me?" He pouts, chocolate eyes glinting.

I smile a little. "So what brings you here?"

He shrugs. "Just you, really. Wanna go for a drink?"

"I'm guessing you just jogged, from your getup." He was wearing a blue nike sleeveless top with matching black jersey shorts and his usual running sneakers.

"I'm up for a milkshake. Let's go?"

"I can't. Mom's out. No one else is here to watch the store." I say, getting the gardener supplies in a cabinet behind the counter.

"... Gimme a sec." He says, rushing out. I shake my head and sigh at his antics. I start to water the plants around the room. No one's coming in yet, so I play a soft tune on loudspeaker from my ipod. _Loving him is like, driving a new Maserati down a dead end street. Faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ending so suddenly_. I wipe the racks with rags in the pocket of my apron.

_Loving him is like trying to change your mind once you're already flying through the free fall,_

_like the colors in autumn, so bright just before they lose it all._ The chime rings again. "I got your Cookie Crumble milkshake." He says, handing me a large plastic cup. I grin at him.

"Thanks." He sips his own drink, leaning on a rack. _Losing him was blue, like I never known, _"So did you talk with Mimi yesterday?" _Missing him was dark grey, all alone_

"No, I didn't get to see her except for lunch, when us C.C.'s are all seated together." _Forgetting him was like, trying to know somebody you never met_

"We kind of fought." _but_ _loving him was red_

"What? Why?" _loving him was red_

"It's just a misunderstanding. I'm going to apologize." _Touching him was like realizing all you ever wanted was right there in front of you_

"Good. I've seen catfights in movies, and they're not pretty." _Memorizing him was as easy as knowing all the words to your old favorite tune_

"I swear, you watch too many chick flicks." _Fighting with him was like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there's no right answer_

"Mainly because of my girly girl BFFs. And Hikari." _Regretting him was like wishing you never found love, but love could be that strong._

_Losing him was blue like I never known, _Since when was there two of his girl BFFs? I sigh. _Missing him was dark grey all alone._ "What's wrong?" He asks. _Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met_

"Nothing." I reply. _But loving him was red, oh red, burning red_

"So what did you two fight over?" _Remembering him comes in flashbacks, and echoes tell myself it's __time now_

More like who did we fight over. "Nothing in particular." _Gotta let go, but moving on from him is impossible when I still see it all in my head, burning red_

He scoffs. "You're so secretive, these days." _Burning, it was red_

"Does it bother you?" _Oh, losing him was blue, like I never known_

"Yes! You just noticed?" He grins. _Missing him was dark grey, all alone_ "You can tell me everything, Sora. You used to, anyways." _Forgetting him was like, trying to know somebody you never met_

"Things change." For one thing, I fell in love with you and dated your best friend. _Cause loving him was red, yeah, yeah red_

"I thought we promised we never would." _We're_ _burning__ red _

"I'm sorry." _And that's why he's spinnin' 'round in my head__  
_

"You shouldn't be. I just- I mean, what happened to us?" _Comes back to me, burning red_

"What us?" _Yeah, yeah__  
_

"We drifted apart... Well, sort of. We kept things more and more from each other." _His love was like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street  
_

Okay, that's enough Taylor Swift in a day. "..." I turn off my ipod.

"I thought that would never happen."

"Taichi?" I walk up to him and rest my head on his shoulder. "Everything's gonna be okay."

One side of his mouth raises. "Yeah. Will you tell me when your ready, though?"

"Everything." I'll tell you _everything_. When I'm ready.

9:54 am, meeting with Kobayashi Setsu

**Friendship**

"How're you doin' boys?" Our manager takes a seat beside Takashi. He wasn't wearing a random accessory, unlike before, which made him look like a creepy businessman.

"We're not boys anymore, Setsu-san." Takashi takes a sip of his Iced Americano.

"If you call us two boys, then the others are kids." I say, referring to Akira and Yutaka, who, may I point out, are still not here, since, I glance at my watch, 24 minutes ago.

Setsu smirks. "Hold on, I'll order a coffee." He says, walking to the cashier.

"We're going to tell him Mimi-chan's going to sing with us, right?" Takashi asks. I nod.

"Also we should move the release date later. And as for the music video, we still haven't found a leading lady."

"Do we really need one? It's so inconvinient." Takashi scrunches his nose.

"Setsu-san said our first video would be better and easily comprehended if the video corresponded with the lyrics of the song. In the song, there is a girl."

He stretches his neck to see the clock in the café. "How long are they gonna make us wait?"

"I'm going to kill Akira." I mutter.

"You mean like how you kill him everyday?" Setsu comes back with a cappuccino. "You know, with your sarcasm and witty comebacks."

**Sincerity**

"Mimi-chan, good morning." I see mom washing her hands in the kitchen, clad in her morning robe and fluffy slippers. I kiss her cheek.

"Good morning." I yawn and walk to the electric outlet to unplug my charging phone. There's a message. I rub away my morning glory.

"Are you feeling better from when you skipped school?"

"Yeah, it was just a migraine."

"Are you sure it wasn't-"

"Mom, don't worry too much. You'll get wrinkles." I give her a reassuring smile and hug her from the back.

She sighs. "Okay. Me and your father have been out for the past few days. I'm hoping you miss my cooking."

"Hmm. How about beef stroganoff and shrimp ravioli?" The first two dishes she learned how to cook in America.

"Copy that, princess." She kisses my forehead. I drift to the living room, hoping to watch an interesting show. Remembering to check, I read the text on my phone.

_Can you meet me today? :) _

I raise an eyebrow in confusion. This doesn't happen everyday. Usually I make the first move.

**Courage**

I decided to help Sora in the shop like when I usually have nothing to do. I even have my own apron. A black one with orange stitches. "You don't have to do this." Sora says, arranging the change in the register.

"Too late, I'm already wearing my uniform." I chuckle. She smiles, shaking her head. "Oh yeah, remember when the school intercom announced my name yesterday?"

"Was it about the Student Council thing?"

"Yeah. I got approved. Then they arranged a meeting with the candidates and the principal."

"Oh. What'd he say?"

"He said we should start campaigning next week in his long speech. I also met a nice senior who awkwardly knew my name."

"Yeah, you're more popular than you think. What's his name?"

"Her." The door chime rings. A mother and her daughter walk in. "Welcome to the Takenouchi Flower shop, how may I help you?" I call out. The little girl grins at me. They proceed to examine the displayed plants.

"What's her name?" Sora asks.

"Kitamura Nagisa."

11:30, Mimi's appointment

**Reliability**

I take a picture of the scenery in front of me with my digital camera. I sit on a log by the shore, fidgeting with the gadget while waiting for her. "Awww, you brought me coffee?" I turn around to meet the voice. She wore a white floral sundress with marching sandals and her usual pink hat.

"Yeah. Careful though. It's hot." I hand her the styrofoam cup from Starbucks.

She sniffs it, wearing an excited smile. "You remembered my favorite." I've memorized all her coffee orders. This one's a White Chocolate Mocha.

"I know how much you love caffeine."

She takes a small sip. "So why'd you wanna meet?"

"I felt like everyone's starting to steal you away from me ever since you came back."

She faces me and hooks her arm on mine. "Aww, Senpai! That's so sweet." She rubs her head on my shoulder. "But it's not like I belong to only you." She giggles, as I blush.

"Th-That's not what I meant. When you moved to America, you always called me, and we'd chat for hours, but when you came back, it's like you don't have time for me anymore." I scratch my head.

"Well it's not like you have time for me too."

I look down. "School's been keeping me pretty busy... That's sorta why I called you here... Just 'cause. I have _now_, you know?"

"I know." Her eyes drift to the sea in front of us.

"When you were absent in school... That... That was a panic attack, wasn't it."

She nods. I put an arm around her shoulder. "Thank you for asking, Doctor Kido."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"... Okay. I believe you." She doesn't lie to me. She never did. "Let's take a picture." This moment has a beautiful background for a photo. I stand up. She smiles and adjusts my camera on timer and leaves it on the log. We position ourselves in front as she rests her elbow on my shoulder. 1,2,3... Say cheese!

**Friendship**

"Who's this Mimi Tachikawa?" Setsu asks, when we tell him how she's going to sing with us.

"Yamato's potential lover." -Yutaka

"Yamato's best friend." -Takashi

"My potential girlfriend." -Akira

"All of them are wrong. She's just someone I met when I was younger. We have the same circle of friends, but compared to the others, we're not that close." I explain.

"Yeah, he just kisses girls on their forehead. That's not an indication of closeness." Takashi comments, pushing his straw up and down.

"Yep, that's Yamato. Randomly letting any girl touch his acoustic guitar." Yutaka rolls his eyes.

"Oh yeah, that's him. The guy who flicks me off whenever I try to hit on a pretty girl." Akira glares at me.

"Actually, Akira's right with his statement. Takashi, I kissed her to tease her. And as for the guitar, Yutaka, she needed it to sing in front of us. She did finish the song, after all. I want her name on the credits and composers once we release the album."

Setsu crosses his arms and puts on his thinking face. "Tachikawa... Tachikawa... Where have I heard that before..."

"Her dad's the CEO of a famous watch company." I say.

Setsu snaps his fingers. "A millionaire! Wow, you scored good, Yamato." I hear a very familiar giggle and another familiar voice near the counter.

"Um excuse me, I forgot to redeem my free planner." The tall familiar guy says.

"Jyou!" I call out. Two heads turn around. "Oh, you two on a date?"

Mimi walks up to me and pokes my head. "Yes. You jealous?" Akira gapes at her.

"Jyou, how do you handle this woman?" I ask him. Mimi pouts. A staff member of the café hands him a notebook of some sort.

"Eheh, we're not on a date, Yamato-kun." He sweatdrops. "I just forgot this." He raises the notebook.

"Oh. Setsu, this is Tachikawa Mimi." I grab her arm and gently pull her to my side.

"Uh, hi?" She waves her other hand to him.

"Mimi, this is the Teenage Wolves' manager, Kobayashi Setsu." I introduce him. He nods at her.

"Ah, um It's nice to meet you, Kobayashi-san."

"Same here." Setsu says. I notice Jyou fiddle with his fingers.

"Well, you two better get going. This is a band meeting." Realizing I was still holding it, I let go of her arm.

"Okay. Bye Yamato." She bows to me and the other four.

"Bye, Mimi, Jyou." I say. Jyou gives me a small smile then they head out.

"Please tell me that was not her boyfriend." Akira says, slamming the table with a hand.

"No," He sighs. "The tall guy's just in love with her." Once I finish the sentence, Takashi chokes, Yutaka's eyes widen, and Setsu clears his throat. "What?! I've known them for almost a decade. I'm positive."

"Do you think he has a chance with her?" Akira asks.

"More than you, definitely." I answer.

"But less than Yamato." Setsu says, as Yutaka and Takashi nod. Setsu locks eyes with me. "She's really pretty, you know."

I roll my eyes. "I'm not into her."

"Yep. I'll give it a year." -Setsu

"Is this a bet? How about six months?" -Yutaka

"A month for him to develop the feelings." -Takashi

"God, I'm surrounded by idiots." I whisper to myself.

"I agree," Akira says. I glance at him. "Even if she's desirable, she's still the best friend of his _ex_... I mean, Yamato wouldn't date an ex's bff."

**Sincerity**

_So why'd ya introduce me to your manager?_ -sent 2:37 pm

_You're gonna sing with us, right? He needs to know. _-Playboy/Smirky

_It's not confirmed yet, remember?_

_Yeah, but I'm at least 80% sure you will, anyway. Were you and Jyou on a date?_ -Playboy/Smirky

_I already answered that. We weren't. He just wanted to catch up. It's sort of weird because next to Sora, he's the one that calls me the most._

_That's sweet. He likes you._ -Playboy/Smirky

_He does not. He's a big brother to me. _

_If he saw your reply he'd get hurt._ -Playboy/Smirky

_He wouldn't. I know him better than you do._

_Wrong. Next to Taichi, he's my best friend. _-Playboy/Smirky

_He doesn't like me. End of discussion._

_He so does. End of statement. -_Playboy/Smirky

_Why does everyone say everyone likes me?_

_Well not everyone, mostly the guys in our group anyway. Particularly blue and red. _-Playboy/Smirky

_Blue and Red?_

_Jyou and Koushiro. See what I did there, hair colors. ;)_ -Playboy/Smirky

_You're dumb_

_X _ -Playboy/Smirky

_O_

_Bye_ -Playboy/Smirky

_Bye_

_Wait_

_What _ -Playboy/Smirky

_You forgot yay_

_YAY_ -Playboy/Smirky

_Yay_

_OMG stop flirting with me!_ -Playboy/Smirky

_You did not just qoute Augustus Waters._

_I just did :P_ -Playboy/Smirky

_Bye_

_Please. You love it. You're giggling right now. _ -Playboy/Smirky

_I hate you._

_You love me :)_ -Playboy/Smirky

_Idiot. :-|_

_Princess 3. _-Playboy/Smirky

_Don't call me that_

_I can be your prince. They called you princess karaoke right? Can I be your prince rockstar? _-Playboy/Smirky

_That is the worst pun ever. _

_Besides. It'll never work out._

_Says who? _-Playboy/Smirky

_Well, you know how princes go for the peasants in fairy tales. Princesses need knights._

_This isn't a fairy tale. In real life, the princess always, always, ends up with the prince. You know why?_ -Playboy/Smirky

_Why?_

_Because the princess and the prince are always on opposite sides of a red string of FATE -Playboy/Smirky_

_I honestly don't know what to say._

_Yeah me too. Ok I'll see ya tomorrow x_ -Playboy/Smirky

_Bye for real x_


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Hi! School's starting soon, so I won't be able to update so much... This chapter features a song called Long Live, originally by Taylor Swift. :-) R&R ok?

* * *

_Chapter 7: The King_

**Friendship**

"Are you texting Mimi?"

"Dad? You're home early." I bend my neck to see him. He was removing his shoes.

"Yeah, things are going well in work. You didn't answer my question." I sit up straight from lying down on the couch and stretch my arms.

I shrug. "How'd you know I was texting her?"

"You said you weren't a texting type. But you were texting her last time. Also, you were blushing. You never blush because of your phone." He hangs his coat on the rack. I'm pretty sure I don't blush at all.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

"Uh, no. I'm going to dinner with a colleague in a little while."

"A date...?"

He scoffs. "Of course not. For business purposes."

"Oh. Okay."

Sunday 1:30 pm

Sincerity

As soon as I enter the store, a staff member calls out, "Welcome to Astrodisk! What are you looking for, miss?

"Do you have all albums of the Teenage Wolves?"

"Yes, would you like to check the normal versions or the-"

I offer him a sweet smile. "All deluxe versions please. And if there's a compilation of their winter concert last year, I'd like to purchase that as well."

"Okay then, please wait a moment."

Monday daily lunch with the Chosens

**Love**

Finally, Mimi shows up arguing with Yamato, probably something musical. She was about to sit down as I get up to block her way to her chair. "Caramel, can we talk?"

"Okay." We walk away from our table to the corner, where no one could hear us.

**Friendship**

"What's up with them?" Miyako wonders out loud, seeing Mimi and Sora.

"They fought." Me and Taichi say in unison. We make eye contact. Taichi snickers.

Daisuke laughs. "Woah, are you two dating those two?" Jyou clears his throat while Koushiro looks at us expectantly. Takeru smirks. I roll my eyes at him.

"Changing the subject, I have an announcement." Taichi says.

"You're dating Sora-oneesan?!" Miyako leans forward.

"No..." Taichi narrows his eyes at her. "I'm running for Student Council President." Jyou's eyes widen. The younger Chosens gasp, Hikari smiles. Koushiro roll his eyes.

Wait a sec. Did Taichi say he's going to run for SCP?! "What." I grip my best friend's arm.

He chuckles. "I'm on the candidate list."

**Love**

"I'm sorry." She hugs me tightly as soon as I finish.

"Aww, Sou-chan, I would've forgiven you anyways." She says, her voice muffled, from her head nuzzling on my shoulder.

"Aww, Mimi-chan!" I wrap my arms around her waist, tightening our embrace.

"I'm sorry too! I felt like a fake person, saying all those things."

"It's okay. Everything's fine now. We were both at fault." I cup her cheeks with my hands. She sniffles, grinning. We start to walk back to our table. "By the way, have you heard? Taichi's going to be the SCP."

"He WHAT?!"

**Courage**

I try not to laugh at their reactions. "I know, I know. But it's amazing how I even got accepted, right?" Sora and Mimi come back, sitting beside each other. "That was quick." I say, eyeing Sora's arm on Mimi's shouler.

"Wait, Taichi-kun, isn't the campaign going to start tomorrow?" Jyou asks me, while adjusting his glasses.

"Yeah, that's why I approached you guys on this. I have no idea how to do this." I knit my fingers together on the table. "How do I publicize myself?"

"You seem pretty popular already, Senpai. You just need a little push." Miyako says.

"Shin-niisan tried to run as the VP when he was in high school, he told me the first step was to pick a theme for your term." Jyou says.

"Really? Then how come you didn't try for Student Council?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "I'm not really interested. I'm going to be a doctor, not a political ambassador or something. I'm not the leading type. Besides, I have enough papers to worry about." He crosses his arms. "I'm glad you decided to do this, though, Taichi-kun. You'd be a great President."

"Aww, thanks buddy."

Mimi giggles. "Remember when we were kids, at the camp, Jyou-senpai was the assigned leader by the teachers, but then Chi-chan slowly took over." We laugh at that.

Jyou gets flustered. "I-It can't be helped. Surviving in the wilderness isn't my specialty."

Yamato laughs. "Are you saying Taichi's a caveman of some sort?" I punch him playfully on the arm.

"About the campaign... We have two publicly known good-looking singers in the team. Why don't we take advantage of that?" Koushiro suggests.

"That's right!" I face Mimi and Yamato. "Help?"

They look at each other. "We don't have a choice, do we." Yamato jokes. Mimi shakes her head at him. She gives me a wink and a thumbs-up.

"About that theme, I don't know if it helps, but I've always seen Taichi-senpai as a superhero or something." Daisuke pokes his forefingers together. Such a nice boy.

"That settles it. Theme is superhero." Jyou slams the table mildly. I grin.

"Oh my gosh! And Mimi-oneesan can be the damsel-in-distress!" Miyako snaps her fingers.

"What?!" Mimi furrows her brows. "Can't I be a sidekick?" As expected, she hates being labeled as a stereotype.

"That's a great idea, Miyako-san. Who else would our hero save from the villain?" Takeru points to Yamato. The others laugh, while the latter massages his temples.

Mimi gives the blonde a sympathizing look. "Dark colors do look good on you."

Takeru lightly claps. "This is great. Guys, do you remember how me, Hikari-chan and Ken joined the theatre club recently? I got appointed to be a guide writer and the props director, meaning it'll be convenient to provide the script and costumes." We all know how Takeru has a passion for writing.

"Thanks guys, I would be nowhere without you." They smile in response. Looks like I've found my official campaign team.

"You owe us." Yamato replies.

English class, after lunch

**Friendship**

I nudge her and start to whisper. "Part one of _mission cure princess' panic disorder._ Acting as superhero Taichi's girl."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't call me princess."

"We've been through this."

"I didn't approve. Just call me Mimi."

"That's boring."

She rolls her eyes. "I don't mind."

"But you call me Yamato."

"Yeah, that's exactly the reason why you should call me Mimi."

I shake my head. "No. It's the opposite. You don't usually call people without honorifics and nicknames. Following that example, I'm not used to nicknaming people."

"..."

"You're doing something unlike you. So I should too."

"..." She scribbles something in her notebook.

"Understand, Princess?"

"... When did you notice I started calling you Yamato?"

"Just yesterday." She scoffs in disbelief. "So what else did you and Jyou do yesterday?"

"This is an honest question. Are you jealous?"

"This is an honest answer. Are you retarded?"

"We went to the arcade and ate crêpe."

"You know how Taichi and Sora believe that you and Koushiro fit?"

"It's called shipping."

"Well. I ship you and Jyou."

8:35 pm

**Hope**

"Save me, I'm bored." I say, as soon as Hikari picks up.

She laughs, her voice higher on the phone. "_Did you finish the script for the campaign already?_"

"Yeah, two hours ago. I proofread it three times. It's beside me actually." I move the blankets to grasp the folder.

"_You don't usually call this late_."

"Mom's out. It's weird, right? She rarely does overtime."

"_Oh. Do you want me to come over_?"

"Don't. It's already late and dark out already." Plus, your brother will kill me if you do.

"_Takeru-kun, do you think there's something going on between Mimi-san and Yamato-oniisan_?"

"Yes!" I sit up on my bed. "Finally, someone else who sees it."

"_And maybe, just maybe, Onii-chan and-_"

"Sora-san."

"_Right... You... You don't mind?_"

"Of course not. I support my brother with anyone who makes him happy. Sora-san, Mimi-oneesan... It doesn't matter. But if you want me to ship someone with your brother, it's definitely Sora-san."

"_I think so too._"

"Other than that, Sora-san is an ex of Aniki, after all. Forgive and forget, right?"

"_Did Yamato-oniisan tell you already why they broke up?_"

"No. Frankly, I don't think he'll ever tell me."

"_I have a theory. But we need to talk in person if it's about this._"

"I agree. So, what else should we talk about?"

Tuesday, 10 minutes before lunch ends

**Friendship**

The things I do for Yagami freaking Taichi. Breaking up with Sora seems so easy compared to this. I peek in the door of the cafeteria to see if Takeru, aka our director, made the signal already. Two minutes, he mouths. I sigh. I never thought it would be this hard. I check my watch to count down the seconds. People were giving me judging looks. Ah, is that Ishida Yamato? How embarassing. God, please kill me now. I look like zorro without the hat. Also, my dress shirt is dark blue and my mask is white 3...2...1... There. Takeru gave the signal. Which is a peace sign.

I slam the double doors open and scowl at the gasping people. I was already in role. I flap my cape dramatically while jumping on an empty table. Pretending to look for my victim, and spotting her, "Aha! There you are..." I walk from table to table to Mimi. I almost didn't recognize her. She wore a black braided wig and glasses, along with a very thick jacket and a longer skirt. "Do you know you disgust people? I can't really blame them, though."

I eye her from head to toe. She looked mortified. "Insecurities... They fit you." I sneer while running my arm through the pile of books in front of her, the things falling on the ground. Mimi gasps.

"My books! Don't-" I cup her jaw with my hand. I hope I'm not causing her pain.

"That's right. You don't have any friends because books are more important. The only friend you have is loneliness itself." She looks like she's about to cry. I try my hardest not to soften my expression.

"You're wrong!" I also try my hardest not to laugh at the voice who said that. I turn to the entrance and see the superhero. I hear Mimi cover her giggle at my side. I smirk. Taichi was wearing his complete school uniform with a red cape. All buttons done, white shirt tucked in, even the necktie. Instead of his usual blue sneakers, shiny black oxfords.

"Who dares contradict better yet, deny the truth?!" I say very loudly, so all the people in the cafeteria could hear.

"What you say is not the truth, you fiend!" He walks to us. Grabbing Mimi's hand, he says, "You know nothing of real friendship." Well. Ouch. We individually gone through our lines with Takeru, but we didn't practice together. "I'm her friend. I'm everyone's friend. You, are everyone's problem, pointing an innocent's flaws."

"And you," I look at him, with obvious. judgement. "Are a disturbance to everyone's eyes." Then we stage-fight. He lunges at me, and thanks to Miyako, who has a certain expertise insound effects, it seemed realistic enough. Punches and kicks. Slaps and pushes. Groans of pain. I stagger to my feet. We made it look like he injured me. I clutch my arm, as if he bruised me and shout while running to the exit, "You haven't seen the last of me!" And I'm gone.

**Sincerity**

After the Chosen Children release the confetti, Taichi salutes to the cheering crowd that gathered around us. He turns to me, offering a hand. "Th-Thank you." I say.

"No problem, miss. I'm Yagami Taichi, a junior runnning for Student body President." He winks. "I'll be your friend." He hugs me. The crowd wooes and claps.

"Kyaa! Is this is the birth of a new pairing? What do you think, Ken-kun?" I hear Miyako say.

"Well, if you combine their names together... Mimi-san and Taichi-san... Michi." The prodigy replies.

"Michi, that sounds like an anime character." Daisuke chuckles.

"But it sounds cute, doesn't it? Michi!" Hikari yells along with the crowd, who was also shouting the same term. Takeru sweatdropped. I blush.

After the show we put on, the other Children distribute pins and fliers. I walk out of the room, tugging the wig off my head. Where is he? Oh. There by a locker. I pull on his cape. "Oy."

He turns his head. "Hey."

I place my hands on my hips. "Chi-chan's sure to win, at this point."

"Michi, huh." He smirks.

I roll my eyes. "The funny thing is, I was the one who started pairing people up in our group. Those kids just got influenced. But seriously, how couldn't I? I mean, there's twelve of us."

"Eleven if you exempt Hida. He's just a kid." I nod. "So what's the first couple you paired up?"

"Takkun and Kari-hime."

He laughs. "Liar."

"What? It's true."

"It's Taichi and Sora isn't it." I purse my lips. "I don't mind, really. Even Jyou and Koushiro made a big deal out of those two. Part of me also thinks there's something between them."

"Mimato."

"... That's..."

"Yagami Taichi coined the term. Thank him."

"You're blushing."

"Am not." He pinches my right cheek.

"So what sounds cuter? Mimato or Michi?"

"It doesn't matter anyway. You gonna change your clothes?"

"Michi sounds cuter to me." He looks down.

"What about Yamami?"

"Do you and Jyou have a name?"

"Hmm, I think Takkun invented that... Jyoumi, was it?" Takeru invented it? Hmm.

"Jyoumi. I like Jyoumi. What about you and Koushiro?"

"Koumi."

"That sounds cuter, too." He takes off his cape and puts it in the locker he was leaning on. So this is his locker. 202. A photograph taped on the locker door catches my eye.

"You still have her picture." She was wearing a white sundress and sunglasses on her head. A date on the beach. I recall in _Just The Way I'm Not,_

_Can I pick you up for another night on the north shore_

A date on the beach.

He glances at it, like he hasn't seen it before. "I always forget to take it off."

"She looks so beautiful there." The sun shone on her skin and highlighted her hair.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm still in love with her. I'm not." He suddenly pulls the picture off. The taped ends still stuck to the surface. He scrunches it into a ball with one hand and puts it in his pocket. "No offense, Sora."

**Friendship**

I laugh and close her open mouth by tapping her chin. "Forgive and forget." I say.

She narrows her eyes looking down. "I have to be honest, I hated you."

"Ouch." Was it because I tore Sora's picture?

"Sou-chan always ranted on to me about your fights when you two were still together. Even though she always said she couldn't hate you for those arguments, I did." She laces her fingers together. I feel like she's lowering her voice each second she speaks. "I'm sorry."

I shrug. "I don't know why your so guilty. I mean, you didn't do anything to hurt me."

"Yeah, but I didn't do anything to make you feel better too... I've said that you're unfair, only making friends with the others except me, but I've been so unreasonable myself."

"..." It's amazing how she cares so much.

"Bearer of Sincerity... What a joke."

"If it makes you feel any better, I forgive you." I pat her head. Her face slightly lights up. "Besides, it's not like I really cared about how Mich-I mean Bitch broke your heart back then."

"How about now?"

"If murder is legal, I would." She laughs then hugs me. "So are we like, the second Taichi and Sora now?"

"... What do you mean?"

"Everyone says we should be together... And if I'm not mistaken, we're on our way to being best buds." I wink. She giggles.

"I don't know... It's hard to compete with them."

"I agree. Hey, I have this idea we could do in Taichi's campaign. I was thinking we should surprise him."

**Courage**

I check my watch. 1:42 pm. The teachers gave all the candidates two hours, starting lunch, to advertise. All the other students are in class, so all we need to do is decorate the school with our faces. Posters, tarpaulins, fliers, etc.. Though my official campaign team (the one I wrote on paper) include only Sora, Yamato, Mimi, Jyou and Koushiro, there's the other six who helped spread the campaign merchandise, during lunch, when they were free. In short, there's not much to do anymore.

"Taichi-san, do you wanna go around campus to check how the younger Children spread out?" Koushiro suggests.

"Sure. Hold on, this stupid costume is suffocating me."

"You know, it's not just a costume, it's your uniform, clothes which you have to be used to by now." Sora teases. "Oh wait, you never really wear your uniform, do you."

"I do. Just always incomplete." I take off my cape and fold it, putting it in my bag. Goodbye choking necktie. Also in the bag. I undo all the buttons on my coat and the first two of my white shirt. I don't mind the shoes.

Jyou looks around. "Where are Mimi-kun and Yamato-kun?"

"Probably snuck off to make out." I joke. Sora rolls her eyes, smirking.

"Shouldn't we wait for them?" Koushiro asks.

I shrug. "I don't think so. It's not like they're in danger or something."

Sora nudges me, wiggling her eyebrows and giving me a disturbed look. Oh. I get it. "But if you really want to, you can stay here, Koushiro. I mean, I know how worried you are for Mimi..."

Koushiro gives me a light glare and sighs. "Let's go." He says, standing up from his seat and walking to the exit. We follow. As I open the door,

"Ah." Her papers fell when my shoulder bumped her head. I crouch to help her get them.

"Sorry! I wasn't looking-Oy! You... Nagisa-senpai!" I give her the fliers I gathered. She's running for Pres, too.

"T-Taichi-kun... Hi." She adjusts her glasses and hugs the fliers to her chest.

"Senpai?" Jyou gives me a confused look. "But she's so short." He whispers to Koushiro, who if I'm guessing right, is the same height as the girl.

The redhead rolls his eyes. "Just because you're taller than everyone else," Jyou is 6 ft 2. "doesn't mean you can make fun of the shorter ones."

I'm glad Nagisa couldn't hear them. "I-I was just going to stick these in the cafeteria."

"Oh. Want me to help?" I offer. Sora turns to me, looking astounded. "What? We're done spreading out, anyway."

Jyou and Koushiro share a glance. "If you say so, Taichi-san." Sora shrugs.

"Hm, how about I go check our output? While you three help Nagisa-san." He says. I nod at him.

"Thanks Jyou." He leaves.

"So what's your name, Senpai? I'm Izumi Koushiro. A first year." He holds out his hand. He and Nagisa share a handshake.

"K-Kitamura Nagisa. It's nice to meet you." She gives Sora an expecting look.

"I'm Takenouchi Sora, Taichi's classmate." They also shake hands.

**Reliability**

Takeru and Miyako were helping out with the short scene a while ago, so instead, me and Koushiro came with the other younger ones to stick the posters and everything. I sigh, sitting on a bench by the field. There's really no need to check. I know Taichi would win. He's just the type of person to succeed, no matter how much effort he gives.

"Ouch!"

I shift in my seat from the voice.

"Yamato! That hurts!"

I walk up to the room where I heard it. This is... The band room... Right? The sign says _WE DON'T SIGN AUTOGRAPHS/TAKE PICTURES. PLS DO NOT DISTURB._

Do not disturb? I quietly press my ear to the door.

"How do I do this?" That's Yamato. I'm sure of it.

"I don't know, just stick it in." That's a female. And I know who it is.

"It's also my first time." Shit.

A giggle. "You're supposed to know these stuff. You're a guy."

"Not all guys do this."

"I expected you do."

"Shut up or I'll hit you."

"No! Don't! Kya!"

"Hehe."

"That hurts."

Where are Mimi-kun and Yamato-kun? _Probably snuck off to make out._

_make out._

_make out._

_make out._

Stupid Taichi. I'm pretty sure this isn't just making out.

**Love**

Nagisa and I decide to cover the bulletin board by the distribution counter. "Takenouchi-san, you... You're on the tennis team, right?" She aks shyly. Seems like she can't pull off any sentence without stuttering, which is kind of weird, but also cute.

"Yeah, I've been playing for three years. Why?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing. I just like athletes a lot."

Taken aback, I try to smile. "Ah, is that so?"

"They're really amazing, you know. They have the determination and will to complete their goals despite all the obstacles. Like losing and losing then training and training, then eventually winning."

"Senpai..."

She blushes. "I-I mean, I wish I was like that." She looks over to Taichi and Koushiro, the brunette laughing. "Capable of being strong to their own beliefs, fulfilling dreams, satisfying the people around you."

**Courage**

"Hah," I wipe my eye with a finger. "People should know you're a funny guy, Koushiro."

"That wasn't a joke." He replies, rolling his eyes.

"Ta-Taichi-kun..." I turn around to meet the voice.

"Huh? Jyou! Wha-you look like you've seen a ghost."

"I've... Heard worse." He clutches his forehead, stumbling on a chair.

"What? Why? What happened?" I worriedly put a hand on his back.

Jyou grips both my shoulders. Eyes wide, he asks, "Tell me, Taichi-kun. Is Yamato-kun a virgin?"

"Eh?! Wh-Why do you ask?!" I glance at Koushiro who was holding back a laugh.

Sora and Nagisa walk over to us. "Hey, Jyou-senpai's back." She says.

"Jyou! Ask Sora!" I say, as Jyou faces the girl.

"Is Yamato-kun a virgin?" He says bluntly.

Sora turns red. "Wha-" she clears her throat. "As far as I know, he is."

"What about Mimi-kun?!"

"Of course she is! What's this about?... Wait... Where have you been?" Sora narrows her eyes.

"I've witnessed a conspiracy."

**Friendship**

"I'm ho- That's weird. He's not here." I take of my shoes, looking around the living room.

"How about his bedroom? Or the kitchen?" Mimi asks, hanging her bookbag on the rack.

"Nah, he doesn't cook. And when he gets back from work all he does is watch TV." He said he'd come home early yesterday. I stand by the kitchen counter. No notes. Nothing. "Anyway, let's get started, Meems."

She raises an eyebrow. "Meems?" I shrug and pat the spot beside me on the sofa. She sighs. "I thought you said you wouldn't make me a nickname."

"Yeah, but it's different when it's just us. When it's just us, infinite usage of nicknames will be allowed." I reach for my acoustic guitar and give it to her.

"Got it, Yama-kun." She starts to tune Souichi.

"By the way, why don't you have your own guitar?"

"Parents didn't allow me to pursue music, so I always thought it'd be useless if I have it, even though dad always offered to buy me one."

"How'd you learn to play then?"

"It came along with the voice lessons I told you guys about... Eventually I just got used to playing because a lot of people I know own these things. Apparently, it's a bit cliché." She gets a yellow pad underneathe the coffee table. "How about you?"

"I learned the bass before the acoustic."

"Wow. A natural born bassist."

"Takashi taught me the rest."

"Speaking of which, I was wondering how the band met."

"I met Takashi first. Jyou introduced me to him. They used to be classmates."

"I can tell you'd be friends with him. I mean, you both have this serious vibe, and all." He's also mature compared to the rest.

"Yutaka and I used to be the _Tenor Trio_, along with Tokiya, in Aoyama-sensei's chorale." I smirk. Yutaka became my backing vocals. "Me and Tokiya rivaled each other to become the lead male of the whole group."

"Then you probably did become the lead... Tokiya-kun told me Aoyama-sensei called you the Alpha Wolf." So Mimi calls him by his first name now.

I nod. "Then Akira came up. You'll never guess where I found that guy."

"Where?"

"He was vice-captain of Taichi's team." Her mouth hangs open. I laugh. "I hated him a lot because he was always clinging on to Taichi. Like they were best friends." They were the star athletes of the school, cheerleaders falling on their feet.

"Aww!" She coos. "So that's why! You were jealous."

"Not jealous. Just really annoyed."

"So he's close with Chi-chan?"

"Yeah, a bit. Anyway, he quit soccer to become our drummer." It was kind of a waste. He was the second best next to you-know-who.

She sighs, flopping the yellow pad on her lap. "How should we start?"

"Okay, uh, Daisuke said he looked up to Taichi like he was a hero or something. How about you?"

She thinks for a moment, looking up. "A king."

Wednesday daily lunch with 

**Courage**

"Ahem." The two finally become aware of our presence. I gaze at Mimi, more importantly, the thing she's holding. Then share eye contact with Yamato. "So, you two are at that stage, huh."

"What?" The dirty blonde replies.

"You don't even let me touch Souichi." I cross my arms.

Mimi knits her brows. "Who's Souichi?"

Yamato shrugs. "See? She doesn't even know."

"That." I point to the instrument she's holding. "-Is Souichi."

She confusedly looks over to Yamato who was just ignoring the world, strumming his bass. Mimi shakes her head, sighing. Sharing meaningful looks and nods with Sora and Koushiro, us three sit in front of the pair.

"Yamato." I call out, my voice purposely deeper than usual.

"Hm?" Ugh. I hate it when he's like this. You need to fight with his bass guitar to win over his attention. He's not even facing me.

I decide to apply my blunt force. "Are you and Mimi going ou-"

"No." Yamato quickly answers. Mimi raises a brow at me.

"Do you like h-"

"No."

I gently slam the table with both hands, "Is there a thing going on betw-"

"Never."

That popped my nerve. "Are you a virgin?!" Sora sighs, while Koushiro facepalms.

Yamato sweatdrops, glaring. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"What were you and Mimi doing yesterday? Jyou... Jyou heard some nois-sounds from the uh, band room."

Mimi and Yamato share a meaningful look. "We were finishing a song together. I'm planning to involve her in my next single." He answers. Wow. That's good news.

"Other than that, we tried out this game console Akira-kun got for the band room. I don't like video games, so Yamato kept beating me." Mimi says, putting Souichi in its case.

"She kept saying _ouch_ whenever I hit her." Yamato chuckles.

"I sympathize with my avatar, okay?" Mimi argues.

"We also wanted to try our this new game, _Guitar Combat _but I didn't know where to insert the disc in the console."

"Yamato's a lame excuse for a guy." Mimi giggles. Yamato rolls his eyes.

I join Koushiro in facepalming. "I'm going to kill Jyou." I murmur. Sora laughs.

"I knew it was a misunderstanding." Koushiro says.

"How is this related to my chastity?" Yamato comments.

"Forget about it." I say. "Let's eat, guys."

"Wait. By the way, what were you two working on before we came in here? You guys were playing music." Sora asks.

"We... It's for... The new album." Yamato utters.

3:42 pm, soccer practice

After I changed to my jersery I was about to head out to the field when, "Taichi-kun!"

"Huh? Nagisa-senpai, what's up?"

She suddenly blushes. "T-Taichi-kun, you, you have soccer practice?"

"Yeah, we have it two times a week at the least."

"Oh, that's right! Since you're not a senior like us, you couldn't attend the monthly year level meeting. That's why principal Shiroyuki asked to me tell you the news."

"I see. What is it?"

"We should prepare a campaign speech for our formal introduction to the high schoolers. It's a gathering on monday next week." She opens a small notebook. "Um, he told us we could prepare something other than a speech, with each of our campaign team to encourage people to vote for us. It's okay to present more than one."

Thursday, recess

**Sincerity**

"Yamato, I'm scared." I say softly. He holds my shoulder and leans close.

"Don't be. I'm with you on this one."

"What if I puke or something? I'll embarass you and Taichi." I cover my face with both hands.

"No, you won't. I'm already proud that you wrote this with me. I'll never be ashamed if you do. I believe in you." He takes one hand and grips it. "Everything's going to be okay."

I nod and pull a marker out of my pocket. "Give me your hand." He offers his palm, confused.

I open the marker and, "What are you doing?"

"It's for good luck."

He smiles, staring at his palm. "You draw pretty good."

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah. I want to do it on your hand too." I give him mine and he does the same.

**Courage**

"So... I got the wrong idea?" Jyou looks down, ashamed.

I laugh. "So wrong. Don't worry about it too much."

"But still, those two are getting really close

"Eh? They're putting a show right now?"

"Yes! By the field! Let's go!" Two girls squeal as they run outside the cafeteria.

"What was that about?" Sora wonders.

I shrug and face the Children, who just finished their food. "Wanna go follow them?'

**Friendship**

I sling my bass over my shoulder and look over to the crowd that gathered. No sign of the hero yet. I glance at Mimi beside me on a chair who was sort of breathing a little loud and out of pace. I kneel in front of her and grasp her hand. "You'll be fine. Put all your nervousness and that panic shit in doing your best instead." I peck her palm. She smiles.

"Dude, if you're going to PDA, don't do it onstage." -Takashi

"They're practically kissing, now." -Akira

"Prepare for article headlines saying, 'Ishida Yamato of the Teenage Wolves has a new girlfriend'." -Akira

I stand up and see the Chosens walking toward us with shocked expressions. There's probably more than seventy people who gathered. I nod to the band, ready with their instruments, plus Mimi who took a last sip of her bottled water and proceeded to the mic. She was in the middle, me at her right, Takashi and Yutaka to her left and Akira on the back. She couldn't make eye contact with the people, fiddling with her fingers.

"Are you ready Odaiba High?!" I shout, waving my arms. They cheer and whistle.

**Light**

I squint my eyes to see. Tugging his sleeve, "Onii-chan, what's that on Yamato-oniisan's left palm?"

He stands on tiptoe. "I think... Wow. Is that his crest? That's his crest on his hand!"

"I didn't know he does that." I mutter.

"He doesn't. But I know someone who does." Takeru crosses his arms, smirking. "Take a look at Mimi-oneesan's left hand." We all do and see what he means.

"There's a drawing of a teardrop." Jyou says.

"We dedicate this new song for the superhero, Yagami Taichi." Yamato points to our direction. The audience smiles and looks at my brother, who blushes. The blonde singer winks. "Make sure to vote for him, okay?" He nods to his band and Mimi. Then they start playing an unfamiliar tune.

**Friendship**

_I said remember this moment,_ -wow. her voice sounds even better with a mic- _in the back of my mind, _-Mimi couldn't raise her head while singing

_The time we stood with our shaking hands the crowds in stands went wild, we were the kings and the queens, and they read of our names, _

_the night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same,_ -after the defeat of Apocalymon, everyone looked at us differently

_You held your head like a hero, on a history book page, _-everyone knew our name, everyone remembered us- _it was the end of a decade, but the start of an age _-she grips the mic and looks up. Finally. There is nothing to be shy about if you're Mimi Tachikawa.

_Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you, I was screaming, long live all the magic we made, _

_and bring on all the pretenders, one day, we will be remembered _-we finished this song last night through calls and emailed it to Yutaka, Akira and Takashi, they're doing a good job besides the lack of practicing

_I said remember this feeling, I pass the pictures around, of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines, wising for right now, _-she looks so perfect standing there, like she belongs with the mic she's holding. Like she's meant to sing

_We are the kings and the queens, you traded your baseball cap for a crown, when they gave us our trophies, and we held them up for our town,_ -she's smiling now, singing on a slightly higher note

_And the cynics were outraged, screaming this is absurd, 'cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world, _-for when we fought the digimon kaiser, and all who came after him

_Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you, I was screaming, long live all the magic we made and bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid -_Mimi changed a lot through the years. I didn't have to be so close to her to see that

_Long live, all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you, I was screaming long live, the look on your face_, -she guessed right. Taichi's grinning with his mouth open now. Nostalgia written on his expression- _And bring on all the pretenders, one day, we will be remembered_

_Hold on, spinning around, come falling, falls to the ground, may these memories break our fall_ -Mimi said she doesn't worry about the future much, because she always had this past which moves her to go forward with full force. Our adventure together.

_Will you take a moment, promise me this, that you'll stand by me forever, but if God forbid fate should step in, and force us into a goodbye, if you have children someday_

_When they point to the pictures, please tell em my name, tell em how the crowds went wild, tell em how I hope they shine_

_Long live the walls we crashed through, I had the time of my life, with you_

_Long long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you, and I was screaming, long live all the magic we made and bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid, sing it _

_Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you, and long long live the look on your face, and bring on all the pretenders, one day_

_We will be remembered_


	9. Chapter 8

Hi. College started. :( sorry for the slow update but thanks for the reviews!

* * *

_Chapter 8: Revelations_

**Sincerity**

The crowd roars after the last note. I sigh and blink twice at my feet. I look to my right and see Yamato laughing, "See? I knew you could do it." I give him a hug.

Takashi clears his throat on the mic. "Please excuse the lovely couple here." I laugh and move over to him, hugging him too. Same with Yutaka. Akira stands from his drumming stool and hugs me.

"We're only friends, just so you know." Yamato utters to the audience, still cheering. "So no scandalous rumors please."

**Friendship**

After some teachers reprimanded us for performing without consent, we fixed our equipment and headed to the band room, where the Chosens were waiting for us. It's past lunch, so they should all be marked as skipping. Even Jyou is here. Taichi runs to Mimi, embracing her tightly and twirling her around while she laughs.

"Well done, Caramel!" He puts her down. "Thanks for the amazing song."

Koushiro clears his throat. "He cried." Taichi gives him an annoyed glance.

"Me and Yamato wrote it together." She says. I smile.

Takeru nods. "You two should sing together sometime. A duet."

"It's been a long time since I heard Mimi's singing voice again." Sora clings to her arm. "It's flawless as always." Oh yeah. I remember they used to go to the karaoke place along with the other girls.

Mimi beams and turns red. "Eheh. Thanks."

"Of course. She's Princess Karaoke after all. Just like old times, eh Taichi?" Jyou nudges the brunette. He nods.

"Oh, that's right! Jyou, Nagisa-senpai told me I need to prepare an introductory speech for the pre-election meeting." Taichi clasps his hands together. "Help? You're a senior, so you could share your views and opinions about this, plus I know you're smart and good with words."

"Mimi is, too." I add. She always gets perfect scores in our grammar quizzes.

"What? N-No." Mimi stammers

"It's fine! Mimi can proofread it. Us three can gather somewhere. What do you say, Jyou?" Taichi pleads.

"Sure. I'm happy to help." He replies. "Hm, how about at Starbucks this weeked?"

"Deal."

1:42 pm, Saturday, Yagami household

**Light**

"Hikari-chan, Takeru-kun is here." Mom calls out. Before I could move out of the couch, oniichan runs out his room.

"Hey, Takeru. What's up?" He leans on the door, crossing his arms. As I walk to them mom rolls her eyes at the two boys.

Takeru sweatdrops. "Good afternoon, Taichi-niisan."

I smile at oniichan and look at Takeru. "Come inside, Takeru-kun."

Oniichan sighs, scratching his head. "Well, I should be meeting Jyoumi now." He wears his outdoor shoes. "Takeru, don't do anything funny while I'm gone. Keep the door and your phone open, Hikari. I'll be back by dinner. Bye."

"Take care!" I wave my hand to him.

Hope

We settle in the living room, Hikari prepares a bowl of chips and sour cream, our favorite dip. "So what did you think about Mimi-oneesan's song?"

"I absolutely loved it. She never fails to impress me whenever she sings." She answers.

"Yeah, and those were clever lyrics too."

"I agree. It's good that she's going to be involved in your brother's new album."

I nod. "They're getting pretty close these days."

"Yeah."

"So... I want to hear your theory of why they broke up."

"Can you promise not to be mad at anyone I mention? Even me?"

"Of course." Especially you. How could anyone be angry with you?

"Well, remember when all of us attended Yamato-niisan's winter concert last year?" She fiddles with her skirt. "When he first sang Just The Way I'm Not... The crowd was going wild, but we all knew who that song was for."

She nods. "That's right. Sora-san told us Aniki wrote a last song for her."

"A breakup song. I sort of looked into the lyrics of the song deeper."

"What did you think?" I lean forward.

"What if, what if there was a third party?" My eyes widen. That's impossible. They were very loyal to each other. "_Opposites distract, we fall between the cracks, forget about each other 'til we get each other back._" She repeats the words of the song. "Yamato nii-san might be conveying that Sora-san never thinks of him whenever they're apart."

"You're saying... It might be... It just might be... One-sided?"

"_Never seem to please you, don't you ever let me go, I know your heart is shut_." She references to the song again. "What if he sang all that because someone did please her? He's afraid that she'll let him go because that someone opened her heart."

"Who's someone?"

"Let's be honest, Takeru-kun. Who else?"

Starbucks, Odaiba shopping district 1:57 pm

**Sincerity**

I ordered an iced caramel latte. Ah, caramel and caffeine really do belong together. When Jyou came I guessed his order would be a Teavana shaken iced tea. I guessed right. Hehe, call me a typical white girl, but I memorized my friends' favorite drinks, except for Koushiro, since he has no particular favorite. The guy just like drinking in general. As for Jyou, he has gentle taste. He sits beside me waiting for Taichi. I'm guessing our leader would order an iced skinny mocha, he likes mocha... I guessed right again!

"Why are you smiling so much, Caramel?" He says, laying down his tray with the drink and a cinnamon roll on the table.

"It's the caffeine getting to her." Jyou shakes his head.

"It's just that I still know all of you so well." I giggle. He and Taichi share fond looks.

Jyou brings out a yellow pad and a mechanical pencil. "Shall we start?"

**Hope**

"Yamato-niisan probably found out Sora-neesan's feelings about my brother."

"If that's so, why did Sora-san date my brother in the first place?"

"I don't know." She puts her legs up on the couch, hugging them. "... Are you mad at me now?"

I chuckle. "Why would I be?"

"Are you mad at my brother?"

"It's not his fault. Truthfully, if I were Sora-san, it would be impossible not to fall in love with him." Taichi was there before any of us were. Especially when her parents separated.

"Are you mad at Sora-nee?"

"I wouldn't be if she'll eventually tell us why she dated Aniki instead... If your theory is correct."

"I don't think we'll ever know if my theory is wrong or right."

"Still. It does make sense though. I mean, Taichi-niisan was there first."

"..." She joins me in the floor, to sit. Hugging me, she whispers, "You're so nice, Takeru-kun." Err okay, please don't look at my face because it's red as a tomato. Fangirling right now.

"Well... I'm just saying, our brothers don't deserve hate."

Reliability

"Ta-Taichi-kun!" A startled voice echoes.

Taichi looks up from the paper. "Nagisa-senpai! Wow it seems like we've been running to each other these days." Me and Mimi lock eyes. I'm pretty sure she's stared at that strawberries and cream frap on her hands.

"What are you doing here?" Nagisa asks softly.

"I'm writing my speech with Jyou." The brunette replies. I step on his foot beneath the table. "Hey!" He glares at me.

Ignoring him, "How about you, Kitamura-san?" I smile sweetly. "Why are you here?"

"I just c-came to get a drink." She stutters. "I-I'll be going now, then. Bye Taichi-kun." She walks away.

"Uh... Okay, bye." He waves farewell. When she's out of sight he glares at me. "My foot still hurts, you know."

I click my tongue. "Why'd you tell her?"

"What? She's not that type of girl."

"You can't say for sure, Taichi-kun." I sigh.

Sincerity

Halfway finished, Senpai lets Taichi compose sentences. "Jyou, another term for responsibilities?" He asks.

"Duties, obligations, priorities-" The one with glasses immediately answers.

"Uh okay. That's enough." He continues to scribble, occasionally stopping to tap the pencil on the table.

Out of boredom, I hum the first tune that comes to my mind. The guys suddenly look at me. "What?"

"That's Lost in Stereo." Taichi points out.

"Yamato's first single." Jyou says.

I nod. "Yeah, I know."

They look at each other. "Gee, you sure are rubbing off each other, Caramel."

"Huh? Why? Does he wear pink now?" I ask.

"What? No! I mean, yesterday when you sang, you drew his crest on his palm... And I'm assuming he did the same."

"And now you're humming his songs." Senpai says, getting the pad from Taichi's hand to review what he wrote.

I shrug. "I did buy his albums."

"All three?" Jyou adjusts his glasses. "I only have his debut one."

**Hope**

"Is there something wrong?" Hikari asks, after I receive a mail.

"Uh, no. My mom wants me to eat dinner at Aniki's. She's coming home at ten."

"I see. Are you leaving already?"

"Hm. Maybe later." I smile at her and go back to watching one of her favorite movies. The Notebook. She rests her head on my shoulder. I blush. Yes! Points for me.

"Hikari! I'm home!" Hikari gets up from our position to hug her brother.

"Welcome home, Oniichan!" I sigh. Guess I am leaving after all.

**Reliability**

After writing the speech, we finished at 5:32 pm, I walk Mimi home. "Hey, Jyou-senpai." I turn to her, she was kicking some pebbles on the pavement while walking.

I smile. "What is it?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing, really. It's just that... Everytime when it's just the two of us, I always remember the time when I purposely separated from you guys in the digiworld." She stops walking. "I'm really grateful for you coming after me, you know. I felt relieved at least someone cared about the sissy brat."

"You're not a sissy brat."

"Being friends with someone like Jyou-senpai, it feels like having a big brother." She giggles. "Always there for me, always will be."

"Big brother, huh."

"Hm?" She continues walking, dragging her sandals.

"Ah, no, forget it." I guess that's all I'll ever be to her.

"... J-Jyou-senpai." She stops on her tracks again, looking shocked.

"What is it?" I follow her gaze and see. "... Who's he with?"

"... I can't see her properly."

"That's definitely a female. I can't see her face though."

"And that's Italliana, the fanciest restaurant in town."

"... Wha-What should we do?"

"... Nothing." She turns away.

"What? But-"

"It's none of our business. Let's go." I hesitate before uneasily walking with her to the other direction.

Friendship

I pick up the phone. "Hey, what's up?"

"Oy, can you and Mimi perform a duet for me on monday? Nagisa-senpai said we need at least one campaign performance."

"Sure. Any song will do?"

" man."

"No problem. It's just singing. No big deal for us."

"It's just that Mimi... No. Never mind. I'll hang up now, okay? Bye." Taichi's worried for her.

"Bye." I hang up. The doorbell rings. I wonder if it's dad.

Opening the door, "Oh hey. Great timing."

She wears a troubled expression. "You're dad's not here, is he." That sounds more like a sentence than a question.

"How'd you know?" I urge for her to come in.

We sit on the couch. "I probably misunderstood, anyway." Shrugging, she looks away. "Me and Jyou-senpai saw him on the way home from writing Chi-chan's speech. With a woman."

"He takes co-workers for dinner all the time."

Her face lightens up. "Really? Thank goodness." She sighs out of relief.

"Yeah, he told me he'd come home late."

"I couldn't see the woman's face, though. She had this big red coat and a brown beret."

"Why do you even care?" I chuckle, feeling amused. "I mean, I wouldn't mind if he got himself a girlfriend."

She blushes. "I don't know... I... I mean, don't you want your family to be together again?"

"We are together. Doesn't mean our parents have to be married."

"Well, I still want them to get together again. I don't even know why divorces exist. If it were happier the way it was before, then how come they separated in the first place?"

"..." I smile.

"Besides, even though you tell me you don't, I know deep in your heart there's no one who can replace your mother as your father's wife, even if he does remarries."

I grab a lock of her hair, twirling it using my forefinger. Sniffing it, I whisper, "You're so innocent." That's probably her charm.

Her hair smells like flowers. She tilts her head and giggles. "But I'm still right."

"You are." I pull her closer to me, giving a hug. "What's your perfume?"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

I laugh. She groans. "Okay, okay."

"I don't wear perfume."

"Liar." I position my head on her neck, faintly smelling like soap. "You smell like your the embodiment of everything floral."

"I just wear perfume on special occasions."

"I should leave." A voice says.

"Takkun." Mimi widens her eyes.

I stand up, meeting Takeru's smirk. "Mom told me to eat dinner here." He utters.

I roll my eyes. "You could've sent me a text." I walk to the kitchen.

"Yeah but if I did, I wouldn't be able to see you and Mimi-nee cuddling."

"We weren't cuddling." Mimi and I say in unison.

Takeru laughs, while Mimi turns red. "By the way Mimi, Taichi wants us to sing a duet as a performance of his campaign team."

She walks to me by the stove. "Sure. What are we singing?"

"I'll tell you later." I wink, starting to wash some carrots. I need to text my band about this too.

Sunday, 9:05 am

**Sincerity**

"Mom, I'm going out." I call out, wearing my pastel pink flats by the door.

"Huh? Where?" Mom rubs her eyes, walking out of her room in her morning robe and bunny slippers. "But it's sunday, Mimi-chan."

"I know, I know. It's a school thing. I'll be back in the afternoon, okay?" I run back to kiss her on the cheek. I guess dad's not up yet, he's been overworking these days. "Bye!"

I meet Yamato in Starbucks, we're going to Takashi's house together. Turns out that's where they practice when school's closed. I look around the café and catch him, wearing shades and a gray beanie. Right. He's without his band, so he needs to remain unnoticed if he sees anyone.

Wait a sec. What is he drinking?

"Oy, Yamato."

He looks up, pausing his sipping. "Yo."

"Is that an Iced Caramel Macchiato?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing." I blush.

"I like bitter coffee, but I can't drink this stuff without caramel. Just a bit of it, though."

I shrug, my face pink. "Well, now you know why I have the nickname."

"... Wow." He takes another sip and smirks. "What a coincidence."

Friendship

"So why is it _Takachi's_ place? Why not _Yuta-kun's _or _Aki-tan's?_"

"Woah, easy with the nicknames." You don't even call me one. "That's because Takashi doesn't live in an apartment."

"Oh my." Her mouth gapes when I point to the large gates.

"Remember when I told you I met him through Jyou?" I ring the doorbell. "He used to study becoming a doctor as well." It's good his parents are flexible enough to let him continue being in a band.

"This is such a beautiful mansion." She says. Funny how Takashi is probably just as rich as Mimi.

"He has a family of very successful doctors. That are all from the Japanese ancestry. So they kept the traditional style." A servant in a yukata leads us in, bowing, muttering, 'welcome back, Ishida-san'. In the living room, we find Takashi and all my other bandmates at leisure under a kotatsu complete with hot tea.

"Let's set up, guys." I call out.

12:35 pm

After practicing and eating the famous Miyamura household's gyoza and sashimi for lunch, Akira got too full to play drums, so we took a short ten minute break. Mimi sat by the garden in front of a small pond, outside the room.

"You're staring." Takashi says, his back leaned back.

"Huh?" I raise a brow.

"You should go to her."

"Psh. How come he always gets paired up with her?" Akira rolls his eyes. Yutaka laughs lightly.

**Sincerity**

Yamato takes a seat beside me on this wooden bench. "Ah, I'd love to have a house like this." I utter, stretching my arms.

"... You'd like this better than a western castle?" He asks, a little taken aback.

"Hm? Didn't Chi-chan tell you the gekomon castle was a traditional one?"

"No. But Sora told me you lived in a mansion fit for a princess in America."

"Yeah. That wasn't my decision." I cup my face with both hands, my elbows on my thighs. "This place seems so relaxing and peaceful. Not intimidating, unlike big modern mansions, regardless of its beauty."

"I sorta have a weird heritage."

"What makes you say that?"

"My mother's half french, explains why me and the squirt are blonde." He runs his hand through his hair. "My dad... There's an Ishida clan back in Shimane. Our grandmother owns a similar residence there."

My eyes widen. "Wow. So how'd your parents meet? France and a Japanese clan seem so far with each other."

"They met when my mom decided to write for my dad's first TV show he produced."

"Aww." I clutch the bottom part of my dress. "... My mom and dad asked me a question on my seventh birthday."

He smirks. "What is it? If you wanted to be a princess?"

I shake my head. "You might hate me."

"Pretty sure I won't."

"They asked me if I wanted a younger sibling." Silence. "Guess how that turned out."

"... I don't hate you for that."

"I hate me for it... When I met Takkun, I started to regret saying no to my parents. I was a little jealous of the bond you two cherish. I never got to understand how siblings are different from parents 'til I met the both of you... It gets lonely being an only child."

He frowns then his face softens. "I'm not that good of a brother... When I was a kid, I used to believe I'm important because Takeru needed me." He looks down. "I sort of used him."

"..." I didn't know that's how he felt. "If you put in Takkun's point of view, I just think he wanted to have a sense of independence. He loves you, but he wanted to stand up for himself, you know?"

He batters his eyelashes and smirks. "I feel like Takeru tells you things I don't know."

I shrug. "Girl problems, maybe."

He sits straight. "He asks you for advice when it comes to girls?"

"Sometimes. When he needs something to wear or what to give or stuff like that."

"That squirt." He shakes his head. "He asks me too, but he never takes my advice seriously."

"Hey Yama-kun," I smile. "Keep this a secret, okay?"

"Of course." I rest my head on his shoulder. "I'd rather you share these things with only me." What? Why?

I lock gazes with him and giggle. "Weirdo."

2:35 pm

**Courage**

"Okay... Time start." My little sister presses the button. I start reciting my speech, that I memorized last night. She cuts me off, stopping the little clock.

"You sound nervous, Oniichan. Just be yourself. Pretend you're just talking to the other C.C.s." She's beginning to sound like a member of the theatre club. That's convinient.

I start speaking again.

"Don't get too relaxed. Keep your tone firm and convincing."

Take three.

"Don't sound controlling. Keep a smile on."

Take ten.

"Shoulders slightly relaxed, straight back."

Take eighteen.

"Work on your pace. Remember one period is equal to one pause."

Take twenty-two.

"Slow down on the words you feel like you can't pronounce right."

Take twenty-nine.

"Try to lessen, if not completely stop your stammering."

Take thirty-five.

"Keep your emotion, don't be one of those snobby seniors who care for all the crappy teachers' approval." Oh God. This is tiring.

Monday, Mimato's english class

**Sincerity**

Today is going to be the third time I sing in front of a real audience. I look to my right and glance at Yamato, still looking at the bird's nest outside, his head rested on his right palm. I write random words on the back of my notebook again. Not really random. I don't frequently take notes in this class.

_This is me crying that, this is the very first page, not where the storyline ends_

I sigh, catching my seatmate's attention. "What's that?"

"Nothing. I scribble a lot when I'm bored."

"Yeah, I noticed that too." He eyes my notebook. I always do this in english class.

"I'm nervous."

"For later? Don't be. We practiced yesterday with the band, so it'll probably go better than you think." He leans back on his chair. "Besides, you did really good last time."

"That doesn't mean I'll do good now."

"I didn't expect you to be such a negative person."

I shrug. "Just on certain moments."

**Courage**

The principal called us candidates for a run-through of the ceremony later. Mostly just consist us polishing and delivering our speeches. I see Nagisa by the corner, mumbling words, looking serious.

"Senpai."

She snaps out. "Ah, Taichi-kun." She tucks her hair behind her ear, flustered.

"There are few grouped candidates with parties, huh." I look around, noticing students with matched shirts, reciting their speeches together. Nagisa ran by herself, an individual candidate like me.

She nods and smiles shyly. "Are you going to wear the cape later?"

"Yep. I made sure to shine my shoes, too."

She giggles. "That's right, did you see when you're going upstage later?" We start walking over to a small bulletin board.

I sigh. "How refreshing. I'm last."

"I'm fifth. It's arranged in alphabetical order."

"By the way, what's your campaign team doing for the presentation?"

"They're going to dance, a lot of them are athletes."

"Nice. I just asked Yamato and Mimi to sing."

"Oh, yeah. You're friends with the rockstar." Huh. She doesn't seem to care. Unlike the rest of the female population.

"Yeah, he's cool."

I shrug. "I'm not into music much. I'm more into physical attentiveness. Like sports." She adjusts her glasses.

It's rare to meet a girl uninterested in Yamato. "Really? Which one?"

She looks down, her toes moving together. "... I-I didn't mean it like that." She hides behind her bangs. "I study sports."

Love

We're not even halfway through with the event, and I already feel. The fourth candidate just finished his speech, the crowd seated, clapping by instinct. I yawn as Taichi elbows me, whispering, "It's Nagisa-senpai's turn."

I reset my attention span to focus on the stage. A group of tone shaped bodies entered. They start to place themselves in an organized formation. I feel like I've seen those people somewhere. I squint. "They're fellow varsities." Taichi whispers.

"Oh." I reply. They start to dance to Ariana Grande's '_Problem_'.

**Knowledge**

Mimi was in awe. Her eyes sparkled, her mouth formed an 'o' and her cheeks flushed while watching the performers. Truth to be told, I'd rather watch her than the dancers. I smile and try to focus on the stage. We were seated together because of our year level, so we were three rows behind the other Chosens. I am rather amazed by the performance as well. Even though it doesn't seem fitting for Nagisa's character, to have a campaign team with proud and confident athletes as members.

**Love**

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but her legs are visibly shaking. Lips quivering. Fingers interlocked. She's nervous. I glance to Taichi on my right, who was wearing a worried face. "I-I..." Nagisa attempts to start. Her face is red, as if she forgot what she was going to say. The crowd starts to whisper. How embarassing, they say. People these days.

I can feel Taichi clench his fists. "Nagisa-senpai!" He shouts, standing up. "I'm rooting for you!" Me and all other humans in existence stare at him in disbelief, wide-eyed.

He sits, blushing furiously. Nagisa does the same. Her shaking stops. Putting on a determined face, she grips the podium mic. "I am Kitamura Nagisa. Running for Student Body President." Her voice is firm but relaxed. "I know I am not known for my strong or brave personality... Even my height," the crowd chuckles. "But we all have to admit," she smirks. "I have some guts to be standing right here right now." We laugh again.

**Friendship**

"Here, let me." Mimi ties my mask together on my head.

She hands me my black gloves. "Thanks."

"No problem. Wait, I'll get the cape." She leaves the dressing room in search of the garment.

"You're not even dating yet and you act like you're a married couple." Takeru walks in.

"Oh, hi. What's up?"

He sits on the chair facing the mirror, crossing his legs. "I want to do something for this presentation." I have a bad feeling about this.

**Courage**

I clutch my phone and nudge Sora. "Takeru texted." She leans near to see the message. _Aniki said he's okay with it. His band members are even excited. -Lil brat #1_

Sora cocks a brow. "You named Takeru _Lil brat #1 _on your contacts?"

I grin. "Yep. It fits him doesn't it?"

She rolls her eyes. "Wait. Why number one? Who're the others?"

"Well, there's Motomiya, Willis, and those three other guys from China." I shrug.

"How do you even get their number?"

"Hikari's phone, duh."

"I'm guessing she doesn't know you snoop in her phone."

"It's not snooping if I'm protecting her."

"It just sounds like your being a siscon."

Friendship

"Stop that." I scoff to Mimi who was laughing, arms around her stomach.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She stops, putting on the widest smile.

"You look the cutest, Yamato." Takashi says.

Mimi guffaws again. I glare at my guitarist.

"Well if you ask me, Mimi-chan looks the cutest." Akira winks to her. Mimi giggles, still staring at me. I roll my eyes.

Takashi elbows me. "Here comes the intro."

"Wonder how Yutaka will pull this off." Akira crosses his arms.

Mimi looks at me quizzically. I smile. "He's the speaker of the band."

We hear a drumroll. "Here it comes." Akira whispers excitedly.

"You think you've seen the last of our kind? Prepare yourselves, for the terror, the impact, the awesomeness of," Yutaka deepens his voice. "The Warlock Wolves!"

Mimi supresses a giggle. The curtains slowly reveal our figures, Yutaka joining us, beside Takashi.

**Love**

"It suits them, don't you think?" I say to Taichi, who was now wearing his red cape.

"Their mock name or the wolf ears?"


End file.
